Chapter 520: The Power Plant
While Ernst focused on managing the big picture, Konstantin concentrated more on details. Together—one rough, one meticulous—father and son kept East Africa, their personal asset, firmly under control.
With Ernst currently overseeing the hydraulic construction projects, Konstantin, the "more capable hand," began touring East Africa to inspect their family's industries.
"This power plant—is it modeled after the one that supplies the Berlin railway station?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, though calling it a copy isn't quite accurate. Berlin's plant was built several years ago. Ours uses newer technology. Also, First Town's station is much smaller than Berlin's, so construction wasn't as challenging."
The Berlin power station had been jointly developed by Hechingen Electric and Siemens and was the world's first power plant.
Naturally, First Town's station couldn't compare—Berlin was a metropolis of over a million and the heart of Germany, with greater economic scale and population.
"This plant won't just supply the railway station—it will also serve the surrounding area. Since stations are hubs of rail traffic, they inevitably link to local industries."
Technically, this power plant should be considered a commercial facility—unlike East Africa's politically driven power plants. But East Africa had no true concept of "commercial" ventures. Apart from royal enterprises, most industries were state-owned. Thus, the First Town No. 2 Power Plant didn't function the same way as Europe's private utilities.
"Is that so? From what I've heard, power output is still very limited. Other than for telegraphs and lighting, there doesn't seem to be much use for electricity."
"Your Majesty, technology is constantly evolving. Many electrical products are under development. However, they're still expensive. Only nobles and merchants—people who care about appearances or comfort—can afford them."
"So you're still losing money like before?"
That question made the plant manager very uncomfortable—it hit exactly where it hurt. But this was the king, so what could he say?
"Your Majesty, as the industry grows, electricity will eventually reach every household. His Highness the Crown Prince saw this future and strongly supports power development. It's just that East Africa doesn't have the large wealthy class of Europe or America. Promoting electrification requires government backing."
Konstantin gave it some thought. Though his son had a habit of spending extravagantly, his judgment was sharp. Everyone could see electricity's potential. For now, it served only the high-end market. The masses couldn't afford it.
"You say this plant will supply the surrounding area. But is it enough? What industries even use that much power?" Konstantin asked.
Electricity was still a very immature field. Power generation was inefficient. For example, First Town already had one plant that could barely power the government and light the streetlamps for two hours at night.
In exaggerated terms, electricity in East Africa did little more than keep the lights on and send telegraphs—just enough to maintain appearances in the capital.
Still, First Town's power infrastructure was among the best. Only about a dozen cities in East Africa had electricity at all. First Town and Soga were the only ones with full coverage.
"Your Majesty, while First Town is the capital, it won't stay purely administrative. According to His Highness's plans, we'll be developing low-pollution light industries around the rail lines. Our power output isn't high, but it's enough to supply several factories with lighting."
Ernst had plans to develop light industry in First Town. The city had three major transport links: the Central Railway, the highway network, and the Central Canal.
In fact, the canal zone might have been more ideal for industry—given the easier access to water and transportation. But Ernst wanted to keep those developments in Bagamoyo.
First Town, after all, was a product of Ernst's own vision. In his previous life, it had just been a small town outside Dar es Salaam with no real advantages. But since Ernst had made it the capital and found it to be serviceable, he had no reason to relocate.
Bagamoyo, on the other hand, had some historical legacy. The old Arab ruins had long since been demolished by Ernst over a decade ago. The city now looked completely modern.
Originally, Bagamoyo had no advantage over Dar es Salaam. But once the Central Canal and the Little Rhine River dredging project were completed, Bagamoyo's position changed dramatically.
As a seaport, Bagamoyo could now receive inland cargo directly via the canal and Little Rhine, all the way to the highland edge. This allowed it to become the gateway for Central Province's economic development.
In contrast, Dar es Salaam's role focused more on import-export along the Central Railway—serving areas like present-day Zambia and Zimbabwe.
You could say Dar es Salaam was East Africa's Tianjin, and Bagamoyo its Tangshan. But First Town could never become another Beijing-level metropolis.
Additionally, Soga handled much of First Town's cultural and academic functions, while First Town focused on administration—something like Australia's Canberra.
Ernst had laid out Central Province's urban plans quite thoroughly: a clear division of labor, with coordinated development. Beyond Dar es Salaam, Ernst had the highest hopes for Soga—but it wouldn't truly rise until East African education and technology reached a new level.
Hearing mention of factories piqued Konstantin's interest. "What kind of factories? First Town doesn't have many natural resources."
"Mostly processing and light manufacturing. I know of two food-processing facilities currently surveying sites nearby, and there's also a paper mill planned. The food plants will mainly supply First Town. The paper mill is self-explanatory—being the capital, demand for paper is very high."
Konstantin nodded. That made sense. A capital city consumed more goods than most. Paper demand was especially high—think government documents and archives. East Africa used to rely heavily on imported paper. Although domestic mills had since reduced imports, they still weren't enough.
"Paper mills produce a lot of water pollution. Is Ernst okay with that?"
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. First Town and Soga are already linked to a completed sewage system. Wastewater will be piped directly into the sea—no soil or freshwater contamination."
Ernst's biggest environmental concern was air pollution, which was harder to manage. Water pollution could be solved by building drainage systems. First Town was close to the Indian Ocean, and its sewer pipes were made from cement and brick—ensuring no contact between sewage and soil.
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