Description
ELECTRIC LIGHTING IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF VANDELLÒS I L'HOSPITALET DE L'INFANT
Book summary
This work offers a detailed journey through the process that brought electricity to the municipality of Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant, one of the last in its area to achieve it. The reader will discover the economic and technical difficulties that delayed the project, the negotiations with various companies, and the final solution thanks to a hydroelectric plant. A local history study that reveals how the perseverance of a few promoters achieved an essential advancement for the community.
What is it about?
The book tells the history of the electricity supply in Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant from the first attempts until its realization in 1930. Despite the good intentions of the City Council, the lack of financial resources prevented the financing of its own plant, and private companies considered the investment to be of low profitability. The turning point came when engineers working at the La Farga de Pratdip plant proposed building a reservoir to take advantage of the drainage from that facility. Tortosa engineer Julián Hierro and investor Francesc Chavarria then launched the company L'Energia de Vandellòs. The text details subsequent problems, such as water flow variations and frequent breakdowns, until the company was sold to the Sociedad Española de Construcciones Eléctricas in 1945.
Main themes
- History of rural electrification in Catalonia during the first third of the 20th century.
- Economic and technical difficulties faced by small municipalities in accessing basic services.
- The role of local engineers and entrepreneurs in infrastructure development.
- The evolution of the company L'Energia de Vandellòs and its integration into large electric companies.
- Local history of Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant and its social and technological transformation.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in the history of technology and engineering, especially in the process of rural electrification. It is also of great interest to inhabitants or those familiar with Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant and the Baix Camp region, as well as scholars of local history and infrastructure development in 20th-century Catalonia.
What this book contributes
- A detailed vision of a specific case of rural electrification, with its obstacles and solutions.
- Historical and economic context regarding the arrival of electricity to small Catalan municipalities.
- Information about the local protagonists who made the project possible, from engineers to investors.
- Understanding of the technical difficulties of the first small-scale hydroelectric plants.
Technical data
- Author: VERNET I BORRàS, JOAN
- Publisher: Cossetània Edicions
- Language: Cat
- Topic: HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING, LOCAL HISTORY
- Collection: LES NOSTRES ARRELS
- Binding: Paperback
- Number of pages: 144
- Weight: 356 g
Editorial review
This is a well-documented work of local history that provides a valuable perspective on a little-known process: the electrification of a municipality that arrived late to this service. The author combines historical rigor with a narrative that allows the reader to follow the negotiations, failed projects, and the final solution. It is a recommended read for those looking to understand how basic infrastructure was developed in rural Catalonia, with an approach that values both collective effort and private initiative.