FORECASTS WRONG

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 251, 23 October 1945, Page 6

FORECASTS WRONG

GOVERNMENT BLAMED NORTH ISLAND ELECTRICITY "A good deal of what the Prime Minister and the Minister of Works had to say covered explanations of the delays in the delivery of the Karapiro plant. No explanation could, however, hide the fact that the Government forecasts of this scheme had been wrong and that North Island consumers must reconcile themselves to a further winter of restrictions." So said Mr. W. A. Bishop, chairman of the Waitemata Electric Power Board, in a report which he presented to this afternoon's meeting covering the annual conference of electric power boards and supply authorities. Mr. Bishop said the Ministers' addresses indicated that there was no prospect of Karapiro being able to take loading for next winter, and the date now given was the winter of 1947. Restrictions would continue over next winter in probably a more accentuated form. Should Karapiro be completed for the winter of 1947 it would relieve the position, but unrestricted development would depend upon the early completion of the next scheme at Maraetai, in the Waikato. Offers for auxiliary fuel-burning plant had not been considered by Cabinet, as in the opinion of the Minister of Works its cost was excessive. "The Government is definitely committed to a long-range plan for the development of the Waikato River, and anticipates that within the next decade the North Island generating capacity will be increased from 307,000 k.w. to 900,000 k.w.," aid the chairman.