ITALY'S VITALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 234, 2 October 1940, Page 6

ITALY'S VITALS.

ATTACK FROM AIR.

GREAT POWER PLANTS

HOW TO PARALYSE HER.

LONDON, August 31.

Favoured by the great Alpine and Apennine watersheds, Italy's greatest asset—her resources of electrical energy —may be turned into a liability by systematic and relentless air attacks on the 1108 power plants scattered mainly over the northern portion of the j>eninsula, says the former Rome correspondent of the "News Chronicle."

Being the first European electric power producing country in Europe and the third in the world "(the U.S.A. and Canada are the first two), Italy's output is roughly 19,000.000 kwli." In the northern end of the peninsula, which has recently been raided successfully by R.A.F. bomber*, there are SO'J hydroelectric and thermo-electric power stations, which are linked with each other and form the backbone of the nation's supply.

A direct hit on one of the plants of the'Cardano group in the Colic Isarco would disrupt Milan's great eleetricallyopemted industrial network and paralyse the electric railways running through the Brenner Pass, thus jeopardising Italian coal supplies from tiermany.

In the same way the destruction of the Direttissima, one of the stations of the Tonale Group- and situated near Prat 9, would bring to a standstill fast railway services between Sicily and Bolzano. Vulnerable Bottle Neck.

The railway line from Florence to Bologna, which has the longest tunnel in Europe, is the bottle-neck through which all Italian express trains must pass. Confusion in this section would moan disorganisation in the 3000 miles of electrified railway, and since Italy has recently sold or handed over steam locomotives *he considered she no longer needed to Germany, it would be some time before the line could function properly again.

The destruction of the Fiat works at Lingotto, near Turin, although a remarkable feat in itself, does not cripple or even halt arms output in that sector, as the underground factory situated at nearby Moncalieri can take up and continue production. But, if the power stations in the Val d'Aosta system were hit, the factory of Moncalieri as well as countless others would be at a standstill.

The large part played in Italian everyday life by hydro-electric power is shown by the fact that of the consumption of about 12,000,000 kwh., 50 per cent ie used in motive power; 40 per cent for thermal and chemical industries and 10 per cent for lighting. Seventy-five per cent of motive power is used by manufacturers in Northern Italy alone. It should not be forgotten that "only 1.8 of the entire Italian population are without electric light. Huge Coal Imports Saved.

Since 1890 Italy lias been trying to throw off the yoke of coal imports by increased production of electric energy, and th late Senator MengariniVs discovery of the overhead transport of electric energy, which resulted in the construction of the Tivoli power-field, contributed largely to the present-day saving of 8,000,000 tons of coal imports a vear.

. The waters rising in the Alps feed most of the northern regional reservoirs: these are by far the most important and Italy's 2QO rivers are easily able to supply the 92 regional reservoirs. Lombardy, Piedmont, the three Venetias and Emilia produce about 75 per cent of the annual consumption. Moat of the power plants are built near the rivers' edges—landmarks that cannot be camouflaged. The main ones are on the Isarco, where a station of the Cardano group produces 182,970 kw., on the San Francesco belonging to the Spluga group 128.700 kw., Fadalto 80.000 kw., Sonico 00,725 kw., Mincio, Lake Garda, 58,000 kw., Oreo, Kosone group, to mention only a few in the north.

In Central Italy, there is the Galleto group which takes its name from the river and derives power also from the rivers Xera and Velino, producing 141,600 kw., supplies the formidable steel production centre of Terni, CO miles from Rome, where a good percentage of Italian armament production is manufactured. The Tirso group, north of Rome, is one of the newest and is allied to the Velino.

There is a power station at Aequaria Nuova, producing :Ui,ooo kw., and also on the Tiber, the Voslina group. Tlio Sila group of Southern Italy is situated on the River Neto at Ampolina on which there are three stations with an aggregate output of 142.000 kw. The islands have 41 power stations—the largest 011 the River Coghinas in Sardinia. Would End Her War Effort. Thermo-electric plants are usually situated near ports, e.g., Genoa, the Concenter plant, a visible landmark, the largest in Italy, as well as at Leghorn, where Lardarello produces electricitv from natural boracic steam, Naples, Piaccnza, Turbigo and Venice. I n most of these places it was easier to import the fuel than to bring water to the ports.

Various suggestions have been advanced for air raids over Italy. These include bombing of Lagaccio in a valley neal- Genoa —an artificial lake concealing, under a pavement of reinforced concrete,' ammunition deposits sufficient for several months.

Attacks on oil depots, snugly hidden in the huge subterranean drums at Porta Portese (conveniently screened by a Catholic basilica.) on the outskirts of Rome, or in a deep valley near Palermo, have also been suggested! Their only drawback is that even if successful they would only affect one particular section of the * war effort whereas the wreckage of Italy's electric power system would put an end to that effort entirely; and how would Mussolini then explain away the much vaunted effeteness of the British from whom he boasted he could steal Malta, Gibraltar, Egypt and any other portion of territorv anyone cared to mention—in tlu» first week of war J i