Electrical Supply and Population.

In a historical context "horsepower"  has at least three different possible meanings. Each with several possibilities as to exactly what is being measured or estimated.


1) The connected horsepower of electric motors for driving machinery etc. Excluding heating, lighting and other uses. Can only be an estimate, they cant count every last one, and what about duty/standby pairs ? count one only or both.

2)  The total  load  expressed in horsepower rather than in kilowatts. Might mean total installed, or might mean typical peak, or might mean highest ever achieved under exceptional conditions.

3)  The total horsepower of the steam engines that drive the generating plant. Probably with an estimate for any power purchased from another company. Might mean maximum used at any one time. Or might mean total installed, including spare capacity.


And any of the above could be gross generated power as measured at the generator terminals, or total "power sent out" after deducting that consumed within the power station. Or "power sold to consumers" which was power sent out, less losses in mains, abstraction, substation losses, and perhaps metering losses.

In a historical context "horsepower"  has at least three different possible meanings. Each with several possibilities as to exactly what is being measured or estimated.


1) The connected horsepower of electric motors for driving machinery etc. Excluding heating, lighting and other uses. Can only be an estimate, they cant count every last one, and what about duty/standby pairs ? count one only or both.

2)  The total  load  expressed in horsepower rather than in kilowatts. Might mean total installed, or might mean typical peak, or might mean highest ever achieved under exceptional conditions.

3)  The total horsepower of the steam engines that drive the generating plant. Probably with an estimate for any power purchased from another company. Might mean maximum used at any one time. Or might mean total installed, including spare capacity.


And any of the above could be gross generated power as measured at the generator terminals, or total "power sent out" after deducting that consumed within the power station. Or "power sold to consumers" which was power sent out, less losses in mains, abstraction, substation losses, and perhaps metering losses.