Useless power plant!

[LaRo]

I just discovered something about power plant. I may be not the only one that didn't know that but it doesn't give more production if you build more than one power plant. One is enough! I was building ALL in each city!
It's make Hoover dam a VIW (very important wonder).

 

[EmperorSnefix]

You only have one active power plant for each city. If you build a coal power plant after a hydro you will have to advantages and disadvantages of a coal plant.

Hydro plant 50% production upgrade, no pollution
Coal plant 100% production upgrade, lots of pollution

Read the civilopedia for the rest.

 

[Peteus]

Reading the civilopedia is fine, but the way power plants are treated is a bug. You shouldn't be able to build a coal plant when you have the Hoover Dam (just like you can't build a granary after the pyramids.)

 

[etj4Eagle]

Well as EmperorSnefix states you get more production with the coal plant than the hydro that the Hoover Dam gives you. So it is not a bug that you are still allowed to build the coal plant. In some cases you will want that extra 50% bonus boost. Just like how you are still allowed to build a nuclear plant even if you already have a different plant there. Therefore it is not a bug.

 

[Peteus]

I'm pretty sure you're incorrect...hydro, solar and coal plants each produce a 50% increase, and they are not cumulative! Try it - build a coal plant while you already have the Hoover Dam. You'll get no production improvment, but expenses and polution will both increase!!

The nuclear plant isn't cumulative either, but it's more effective than any of the other plants. I think the mfg plant is cumulative, but you know, I've hardly ever built them - the game always seems to be over before I get there.

 

[EmperorSnefix]

I am aware of the fact that power plants aren't cumulative. A coal plant gives 150% increase, while hydro plant gives only 50%.

 

[D.Shaffer]

Rather then quibble over this from memory people...
Directly from the .bic file.

Production rating of assorted improvements.
Factory: 2
Manufacturing Plant: 2
Coal Plant: 2
Hydro Plant: 2
Nuclear Plant: 4
Solar Plant: 2

Seeing a pattern here?

 

[BlackTriad]

Originally posted by EmperorSnefix
I am aware of the fact that power plants aren't cumulative. A coal plant gives 150% increase, while hydro plant gives only 50%.

Not true...

Unmodified, a Coal Plant only increases factory output by 50%

Here are the Unmodified Factory Output increasing improvements in order of usefulness according to unmodified benefit and cost to produce. All require 3 gold/turn to maintain. Only one of any of these 4 improvements will be actively working in a city at one time.

Coal Plant
Built At: Anywhere
Factory Production Increase: 50%
Pollution: Yes
Cost to build: 160

Solar Plant
Built At: Anywhere
Factory Production Increase: 50%
Pollution: No
Cost to build: 320

Hydro Plant*
Built At: Must have a river within the cities workable tiles.
Factory Production Increase: 50%
Pollution: No
Cost to build: 240

Nuclear Plant**
Built At: Must have fresh water within the cities workable tiles.
Factory Production Increase: 150%
Pollution: No AND this plant decreases the pollution caused because of shield production by 50%
Cost to build: 240

* A Hydro Plant can be in all cities whether or not they have a river in their workable tiles if the Hoover Dam is built on the same continent.

** A Nuclear Plant can under some circumstances explode causing the exact same effects as if the city were hit by an ICBM or Tactical Nuke. (I have never seen this happen yet )

It can and should be argued that a Nuclear Plant can be built even in the middle of a desert with modern irrigation techniques.

 

[Knave]

Question: I've seen descriptions of the Hoover Dam wonder that say "Acts as a Hydro plant in all your cities on that continent." It is listed this way in the Wonders section of CivFanatics.

But the [thorough] description given below describes its effect as giving you the ABILITY to build a hydro plant in every city regardless of whether or not there is proper fresh water available.

I know that the ability to build Hydro plants is still available even after building the Hoover dam, which I would think should be gone if the Hoover gives you that effect for free -- but maybe it's an oversight.

Which is correct -- a) the Hoover Dam gives you the effects of a free Hydro plant in every city on the same continent, and while you have the ability to build a Hydro plant in cities that don't appear to have them, it will not increase your production?
Or b), the Hoover Dam lets you build a Hydro plant in any city regardless of whether or not the water situation is conducive to doing so.

Seems like if it is the latter then it isn't as imperative to build this wonder.

-Michael

Originally posted by BlackTriad


Not true...

Unmodified, a Coal Plant only increases factory output by 50%

Here are the Unmodified Factory Output increasing improvements in order of usefulness according to unmodified benefit and cost to produce. All require 3 gold/turn to maintain. Only one of any of these 4 improvements will be actively working in a city at one time.

Coal Plant
Built At: Anywhere
Factory Production Increase: 50%
Pollution: Yes
Cost to build: 160

Solar Plant
Built At: Anywhere
Factory Production Increase: 50%
Pollution: No
Cost to build: 320

Hydro Plant*
Built At: Must have a river within the cities workable tiles.
Factory Production Increase: 50%
Pollution: No
Cost to build: 240

Nuclear Plant**
Built At: Must have fresh water within the cities workable tiles.
Factory Production Increase: 150%
Pollution: No AND this plant decreases the pollution caused because of shield production by 50%
Cost to build: 240

* A Hydro Plant can be in all cities whether or not they have a river in their workable tiles if the Hoover Dam is built on the same continent.

** A Nuclear Plant can under some circumstances explode causing the exact same effects as if the city were hit by an ICBM or Tactical Nuke. (I have never seen this happen yet )

It can and should be argued that a Nuclear Plant can be built even in the middle of a desert with modern irrigation techniques.

 

[BlackTriad]

Originally posted by Knave
Question:
Which is correct -- a) the Hoover Dam gives you the effects of a free Hydro plant in every city on the same continent, and while you have the ability to build a Hydro plant in cities that don't appear to have them, it will not increase your production?
Or b), the Hoover Dam lets you build a Hydro plant in any city regardless of whether or not the water situation is conducive to doing so.

Seems like if it is the latter then it isn't as imperative to build this wonder.

-Michael

Once the Hoover Dam is built all cities on the same continent instantly have a hydro plant that begins working immediately (if a factory is also present). The effect is the same as with the Pyramids and Sun Tzu's War academy and Granary and Baracks. The hydro plant will be listed in all cities improvement lists but will have no maintenance cost and is not sellable.

 

[docceh]

As I recall from te manual, a Nuclear Power Plant Meltdown will occur if the city is in Civil Disorder for long enough for that improvement to be damaged or fall into disrepair.

 

[Buecephalus]

My recollection is, that after building the Hoover Dam and then starting a new city on the same continent, a Hydro Plant appears in the city screen as an improvement. Much the same way that building Sun Tzu's academy automatically puts a barracks in any new town you create. At least that's the way I remember it. I don't often get to the Hoover Dam building era.