POWER CHARGES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 70, 24 March 1931, Page 8

POWER CHARGES.

SUGGESTED CONCESSIONS.

COMMERCIAL LIGHTING

TOTAL OF £-27,000.

Proposed modifications of certain rates for the supply of electricity were mentioned in a special report presented to the Auckland Electric Power Board yesterday by the general manager, Mr. R. H. Bartley. Consideration of the question was deferred until the balancesheet for the vear is available.

Mr. Bartley said certain anomalies existed at present, and one in particular reacted on the large and medium power user operating only over the ordinary working day. Also .the commercial lighting consumer who had long hours of burning and came under the commercial lighting maximum demand rate, did not receive the reduction in rate that his class of loading warranted. Those were the two principal items which called for correction before any general reduction ill rates was applied.

The two modifications' he suggested would mean a saving of £IS,OOO and £9000 respectively to consumers, and a consequent reduction of £27,000 in the revenue of the board. The following rates were proposed for the first modification, which covered the graduated unit.rate: 100 units at 2M; up to 3500 at ljd; all over that amount Id. The existing rate was: 100 units at 2£d; 3300 at 13d; all over 3300 1 5-Sd; all over 8000 1 3-16' d.

The second modification suggested was an alteration in the commercial lighting maximum demand rate. The present maximum demand rate is based on three hours' burning of maximum demand a day for 30 days a month. That three hours', burning was charged od a unit and the balance of units consumed at 2d a unit. ' The modified rate the high rate of units on two hours' burning a day for 30 days a month of maximum demand, chargeable at 5d and the balance at 2d a unit.

Keferring to the failure of Arapuni, Mr. Bartley said he had already pointed out to the board that the effect must result in a debit balance in place of a surplus of £42,000 which he had estimated under the assumption that* water;j]£Wer^c«Hi|&woa-' would/ temi jßsewokd;