POWER BOARD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 131, 16 March 1931, Page 6

POWER BOARD

PROGRESS OF THE SYSTEM.

LAKE COLERIDGE CHARGES.

NO REDUCTION POSSIBLE

The Ashburton Electric Power Board met this morning, when there were present:—Messrs F. W. Watt (ch airman), J. W. M. Dart, W. H. Rundle, H. J. Corthers, E. J. Nicoll, H. Morris, W. Brvant, R. J. 'Mulligan, A. Horsey, S. Smith, W. H. Woods, and W. T. LiUV * . , , /Revenue for last month and tor February, 1930, was shown as follows:

* Denotes decrease. All figures given to the nearest pound. / In. reply to the Board's letter in support of the Banks Peninsula BoarbVs request for a reduction of Lake Coleridge power costs, the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. W. B. Taverner), wrote that although the Lake Coleridge scheme showed a satisfactory financial position at the end of last year, that year was the first occasion during the 15 years that this station hadybeen in operation that it was possible. t.o make a transfer to the Reserve Fund. The Department had, of late*-been faced with a heavy capital expenditure of an unexpected nature in regard to providing an adequate tfandbji plant for this system., and for that reason it was unlikely that last year's position sd far as the Coleridge finances were concerned, would l recur for some time to come. For that reason, Jie regretted that it was not possible to consider any reduction in the charges at the present time. The letter was received.

The Engineer-Secretary (Mr H. G. Kemp) reported that a number of alterations and additions had been made to supply new consumers and increased loads including additional trainsformers. . One alteration from low tension-; to high tension required the replacement of a number of defective poles- and/the replacement poles were obtained by dismantling a section of: steel pole line at Mayfiejd. Which,, owing to disconnections, was no longer required. A temporary supply had been, given to the British Pavements, Ltd's.stonecrusher on Chalmers Avenue, The alterations on Farm and Pacecourse roads were completed. The poles together with those in stock were sufficient for the Overdale-Rakaia line and had been erected there. Heavy tree cutting had been necessary on this route. On the completion of the wiring of this line, three men will be put off. The Post and Telegraph Department had made a complete reconstruction in Rakaia and this had necessitated a considerable number of alterations to

the Board's service lines. Tree, trimming had been done at Dromore, Dorie, Ttuapuna, Methven and Highbank. Apart from those mentioned above, only four replacements of defective poles had been made during the month The running-engineer (Mr A. T. Saunders) reported that units supplied from Lake Coleridge had totalled 40()46G.6 and from the Diesel 1455.3, a total of 461921.9. The maximum demand on the station had been 150 G lew. on February 17. The Diesel plant was running for 5 hours 17 minutes ,for peak load reduction using 42 gallons of crude oil. Owing to one of the flour mill's being closed down for overhaul, the peak load has not been very high,, but the indications were that it will-be very heavy in March, the last month of the quarter. Overhaul of transformers, motors and Kelman switches was the main, work for fhe month. The inspector (Mr W. G. Welsh) reported that the house-wiring staff had been fully occupied during the month on installation work. The Government Electrical Inspector had carried out inspections during the month. Meters tested to date totalled 2672. Connections oh the system were: ranges 716, watery-heaters 428, motors 1193, meters 5374, consumers 3601. The reports were adopted. A petition signed by 12 Seafield consumers was received, praying that the Boarjdishould review the position of one of the consumers on the line. The chairman stated that the En-gineer-se.cretary had not yet had an , opportunity of going into the matter. It was decided to refer the petition to the Finance Committee for*» report.

1931 1930 Inc. ■ £ £ £ Domestic 2752 2390 362 Commercial 397 435 37* Power 645 578 67 Sundry Revenue 52 43 9 ... £3847 £3446 £401 The revenue for eleven months was; 1931 1930 Inc. £ £ £ Domestic 23722 22227 1494 Commercial 6419 6632 212* Ppwer 7232 6901 331 Sundry Revenue 507 426 82 £37881 £36185 £1695