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Commons.
The power plants of 1941 were little different from
the non-nuclear power
plants of today. The basic thermodynamic and electromagnetic
principles involved had been well-understood for decades and the
technology had had time to mature. Whereas the typical coal-fired plant of 1901 took
about 7 pounds (3 kg) of coal to generate a kilowatt-hour of
electrical energy, the most modern plants of 1941 could produce a
kilowatt-hour from just a pound (450 grams) of coal, which remains
the typical figure today. The chief difference is that modern
power plants have much more extensive emission controls to reduce
pollution.
Most plants of 1941 used coal to generate steam
with which to drive electrical generators. However, the
hydroelectric potential of the western United States, Japan, Korea, Tasmania, and New Zealand was being
rapidly developed when war broke out. Japan enjoyed relatively
abundant electrical power because of its extensive hydroelectric
development, which provided 55% of its total power production. The
chief disadvantage of hydroelectric power, aside from its
environmental impact, is that it was vulnerable to drought, with
power generation by the American Tennessee Valley Authority
dropping 40% in 1941 due to regional drought.
Aside from its use in residential areas and to run
factory machinery, electrical power was indispensable for
production of aluminum, magnesium, and other
nonferrous metals and advanced alloy steel, and even a
temporary loss of power could severely damage electrolytic
aluminum smelters. Electric arc welding was also being
increasingly used in ship
construction.
Power consumption was a good measure of total industrial activity. For example, the collapse of electrical power consumption in Shanghai during the occupation shows that industrial production had come close to a standstill by the end of 1943:
| Year |
Indices |
|---|---|
| 1936 |
100.0 |
| 1937 |
82.4 |
| 1938 |
72.5 |
| 1939 |
102.9 |
| 1940 |
105.5 |
| 1941 |
80.0 |
| 1942 |
50.0 |
| 1943 |
40.0 |
Total generating capacity in the United States at the start of
1941 was 45 million kilowatts plus another ten million in
industrial plants. About a third came from hydroelectric power.
References
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2006-2007, 2009, 2012, 2016 by Kent G. Budge. Index
