CONSUMPTION OF POWER

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14638, 6 April 1948, Page 3

CONSUMPTION OF POWER

EFFECT OF CUTS NOT YET APPARENT LEVELS AT WAIKAREMOANA AND TAUPO (P.A.) Wellington, Aoril 5. Because it was late in the week before the necessary restrictions could be imposed in most districts, the effect of last week's steps to reduce the consumption of power byNorth Island supply authorities to 15 t>er cent below the allocation was not" apparent, according to an official of the State Hydro-Electric Department. Consumption was actually 5 per cent below the allocation, which was the reduction requested by the Electricity Controller during the fortnight before it was fixed at 15 per cent. Late on Tuesday afternoon the Electricity Controller telegraphed supply authorities to reduce consumption to 15 ner cent, below the allocation, and if this reduction had operated for the whole week consumption would have been 24,000,000 units. Acti'ql consumption for the week was 26,800,000 units. Reports from the State HydroElectric Department yesterday stated that no rain fell in the 24 hours ™ided 9 a.m. todav at either Lake Waikaremoana or Taupo. No "h"Tige occurred in the level of either lake, Taupo remaining at Din above the minimum level of control and being steady after a slight rise, 26.4 ft below overflow.