OCR Text |
Show road construction at RR Km. 100. Contractor camps at Ilo and Inca- puquio were used as bases of operation for construction of the respective end thirds of the line. To facilitate progress, 2-pole structures were framed complete on the ground and erected as a unit wherever possible, using 45 ft. field-designed and fabricated steel pipe booms, detailed for mounting on Aliis—Chalmers HD-21 tractors. Project subtransmission lines totaled approximately 32 miles in aggregate length, incorporating some- 280 structures, mostly 1 and 2- pole with a few 3-pole structures. The 11 KV line from mine to Toquepala staff camp was energized on May 30, 1957. The Ilo area 13.8 KV lines were completed and energized as follows: Power Plant to Smelter Camp — January 14, 1959 Smelter Camp to Ilo Port —— January 3, 1959 Ho Port to Coquina Plant —— September 9, 1959 Primary area communication systems were composed of a 50 circuit automatic telephone exchange at Ilo and a 200 circuit automatic exchange at Toquepala. Cables connecting the component areas were underoarried on the various power distribution systems. Separate intercommunication systems were also installed in the mine and mill areas. Throughout construction, radio served as an invaluable method of communication between widely-dispersed work areas. A project-wide 2-way, 2-frequency system containing 12 base stations ( 3 each 250 watt, 3 each 60 watt, and 6 each 30 watt) and 63 mobile units, plus 6 walkie-talkie units and a seventh modified for use in the Helio— Courier airplane, was manipulated as required for maximum effective contact coverage between work areas. When construction approached completion, Southern Peru Copper Corporation began to supplement their operational communications network with this equipment, eventually incorporating the entire system as it became available. |