Tauranga Board Exceeds Allocation Of Units For Seven-Weekly Period

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 14929, 17 March 1949, Page 3

Tauranga Board Exceeds Allocation Of Units For Seven-Weekly Period

fONTROLLER STRESSES NEED FOR LIMITING LOAD DURING NEXT THREE YEARS

When pointing out to the Tauranga Electric Power Board, at its monthly meeting yesterday, that for the first seven weeks of this year, ended February 13, the units Durchased by the board had been considerably above the allocation, the Electricity Controller (Mr A. E. Davenport) stated that a continued excess consumption of power could not be allowed. Failing the co-operation of consumers being secured., he added, there was no alternative to rationing being imposed. The board was reminded that steady and sustained effort to limit load was required for the next three years.

The Electricity Controller exnlahecl tbat a number of supply Mithoritiea had put rationing schedules into operation and the results Jhev were obtaining showed that the required savings could be obtained with the minimum upset to cmsumers. He had endeavoured to arrange Ihat the units allocated would follow a normal load curve, with the object of ensuring that the restrictions the board might have to i noose were spread evenly throughout the year, instead of being concentrated ever the winter months. It might be. however, that in the board's case the units allocated for the summer period were low and out of proportion to the weekly allocations for the winter months. If this was' the case, and it accounted for the board's present excess consumption he took it that it was the board's intention to offset the present excess by a corresponding reduction in later months . A lew authorities advised him, continued' the Electricity Controller, following receipt ol their allccations, that the weekly units could be adjusted to follow more close y the changes i'n seasonal load in "their areas, and he was quite agreeable to this also being done by the Tauranga board. The aggregate allocation for the year, of course, remained' unchanged.

The boa id was asked to advise the Electricity Controller what steps it was taking to reduce consumption. In the event of the board intending to adjust i'is allocation load curve, it was requested that the revised schedule of weekly units be forwarded to the Controller.

Replying to Mr W. E. Wickham, the beard's engineer (Mr J. R. Bongard) expressed the view that the appeal for a voluntary effort in economising in e'ectricity consumption had not resulted in any appreciable saving. The secretary (Mr J. R. Chambers) pointed out that consumers in the Katikati district were co-opera-ting well and had taken the appeal to heart.

"Some arc taking it quite seriously," remarked the chairman. It w;:s agreed that the board's assurance be given to consumers .who honestly made an endeavour to economise i'n consumption that their efforts would be taken into account should the question of allocation of units D 3 forced en the board.

The board decided to reply to the Electricity Controller that it was endeavouring to curtail electricity consumption by an appeal to consumers, whi'eh was having some effect; restricting the use of e'ectricity for pumps; and was investigating other methods of reducing '.•ensumption.