WAIKAREMOANA POWER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 94, 22 April 1926, Page 9

WAIKAREMOANA POWER.

A CONTRACT SIGNED. TO SUPPLEMENT MANGAHAO. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' WELLINGTON, this day. The contract, between the Government and the Poverty.Bay Power Board for the supply of power from Lake Waikaremoana has been signed. Payment will be at standard rates. There is provision for nine more guarantees of £10,000 for the first three years, and increasing amounts thereafter on condition that the works are in a position to supply power within three, years of the date of signing the contract, also for the reduction of the first two years' minimum guarantee to £6800 and £8400 respectively if power is not available within the specified three years. The schema proposed at Waikaremoana is to utilise the middle of one ot three ultimate sources, using a fall of about 675 feet from Kaitawa Lake to Lake Waikaremoana. The headworks are comparatively simple, consisting of a short diversion of the river into Kaitawa lake, a low earth dam on the outlet of that lake, "a short tunnel to connect with the pipe, and then the main item—the pipe lines to connect with the power house.

The estimated total cost of this instalment will be about f 750,000. which will be spread over three years. This scheme Ts considered of more than local. importance. -as it seems evident that the available rower will all be taken up h"fore the fiyp years in which it is ao+uallv _n.araT.tepd to he all fiaid for. Wanfanui to Lanier will be added to the system shortly, so that it is t>robnble that within, two years the Maniahao plant will be fully loaded and Waikaremoana become necessary.

Tn -this coT-nontion tT>>» (rovernmenl ha. bought for £2500 the Wai'-oa CompanvV •mil nnd rights at "Rntokiokio, about four miles from *).?. Wjpkaremrvana headworks. Tb<* mill i s Y e ll situated forth" purpose n-nd will si.-*-." a considerable amount of expenditure.