NELSON NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 81, 5 April 1930, Page 14

NELSON NEWS

ELECTRIC SUPPLY

THE GOWAN SCHEME

(From Our Own Correspondent). NELSON, 4th April

Tho Chief Government Electrical Engineer, Mr. F. T. M. Kissel, lias submitted a report which is adverse to the development of a large hydro-elec-tric station at the Gowan. Part of the report reads: "The position as it stands at present is that the Department lias asked the board for guarantees representing "loads of; 2080 k.w. rising to 5200 k.w. five years as a preliminary to starting construction work on the Gowan scheme. This tho board consider they cannot give, in this I think .they are probably correct, as without the development of some special industry tho district is not likely to absorb this amount of power.

"The population of the whole area, including the present Power Board area (Waimca County), also Nelson City, and Takaka and Collingwood counties, is only 25,000, and tho average rate of increase has been only 0.7 per cent, per annum. Already there are the following existing power plants: —Nelson .City (stean.) 1550 k.v.a.; Waimea Electri. Supply Company (water) 140 k.v.a.; Motueka (gas) 65 k.v.a,; Golden Bay Power Board (water) 250 k.v.a. The average maximum load in a number of districts of from 12,000 to 40,000 population and including both towns and county area, and which have been supplied with power for some years shows an aver-

age maximum load per capita of ,09 k.w.

"If the existing plants in the Nelson area could be 'dosed down it would appear that it would be some time before they would reach a corresponding figure of 2250 lew. As tho normal rate of increase is low it is unlikely unless there were some special mining or manufacturing load in sight that tho load would develop very much beyond this figure for some time. "It wouid appear therefore that the supply to this area alone would not justify development on tho Gowan. This source was originally selected as it was suitable for supply also to Marlborough and to the Buller area. The Marlborough area has since developed its own scheme, but may require some additional power in about two years' time. We have had no demand for power in the Buller area.

"Preliminary investigations made on the Cobb River and at Boulde" Lake indicate that reasonably good schemes might be developed at either source. Neither of. them is quite so well situated for a general supply scheme, though they might be better than the Gowan should there bo any local development in connection with mining or extensive cement manufacture iv the Golden Bay area."