The Press. MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1907.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12946, 28 October 1907, Page 6

The Press. MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1907.

GAS AND ELECTRICITY AT GENEVA.

In. our recent articles on tho hydroelectric works ot Ghevres, which we are glad to karn, havo been read with Bomo interest, wo showed that tho undertaking had not been altogether a success from an engineering point of view, and that it was a great disappointment financially, inasmuch as during tho ten years it has been established it has never onco returned 6 per cent, per annum on. tho capital outlay towards tho payment of interest, sinking fund, uud depreciation. If it were a private concern, therefore, it would bo regarded as insolvent. Wβ explained that although iho town of Gonove found the bulk of tho capital, tho Stoto and the commune of Plainpalate participated in a smaller degree. The Electricity Department of tho town buys its electricity in bulk from tho Ueino do Chevres and distributes it to consumers in tho town and suburbs. This department shows a fair profit on tho year's working, and it will be interesting to givo come particulars as to tho conenmption of electricity, tho prices charged to comeum-ers,-and also sdnio information ns to the gas supply, which is also in tho hands of the municipality. In Christchurch, as regards tho proposals to furnish electricity on « largo scale, wo are in tho position of Having to (lopend upon estimates in which a good deal is necessarily left to conjecture. Jn (Jenova w© nro «blo to note tho results of actual experience set out in tho "Compte Rendu dcs Services Induetriels" with a fulnose nnd exactness of detail worthy of tho highest praise. Two points at onco strike us on studying tho report of the Electricity Department. Tho first de tho comparatively email amount of the consumption compared with.the estimates given for the Christchurch scheme, and th« other

is tho great disparity between the charges for lighting and power respectively. Mr Dobson, it will be remembered, bases his calculations as to profit on a. eaJe of 12,357,000 units (kilowatt-hours) per year of 300 working days. Tho population of Christchurch is, roughly speaking, 60,000. That of Geneva . and the suburbs

served by the Electricity Department is at least 110,000. Yet last year the amount of electricity sold for lighting and power (excluding tho tramways) was less than 4 million units—to be precise, 3,955,502, of which 2,097,227 were for lighting, end 1,858,365 for power. It is a significant fact, that although Geneva, is noted throughout the world for its manufacturing industries, it hae taken ten years to build up thie sale of four million unite. In forecasting the future of a similar undertaking in Christchurch, ©Ten if wo assume a similar rate of growth, it is well not to loee sight of tho fact that while we are waiting for the business to come in, the interest, sinking fund, and depreciation, will have to bo provided annually from the time the works are completed.

Thoso who think that electricity furnished by water power is a commodity costing little, if not actually free as air, will perhaps bo surprised to learn that tho Electrical Department pays the Usino de Ohevres 1 l-10d for each unit that it distributes, and that it reckons tho actual cost prico to the Department, including interest, depreciation, etc., is 2.46 d per unit. On the face of it this does not look hopeful for the prospect of selling electricity at Id per unit at a profit in Christchurch. As a matter of fact, all tho profit in Geneva is made on tho lighting business, and the power electricity is sold et considerably below cost price. Tho average charge for lighting, even after allowing for rebates, is 6d per unit, ot moro than is being paid in Chrietchurch for electricity from the destructor. The rate charged for power electricity varies according to the power of the motors installed, but taking tho total quantity supplied, and the β-mount received in payment, it works out at the very low rate of .93d per unit. Tor lighting'the Department last year received £52,3-10; for power only £7219. It is evident that there is an activo demand for the current for lighting purposes; the Department must, of course, buy Bufficiont to meet the "peak load" when tho demand is at tho highest, and this leaves it with a eurplus to dispose of during tho rest of tho day, nnd the rato lias evidently been reduced to a very low figure in order to encourage the consumption.

Turniug to the Gas Department, -which, as already mentioned, is also a municipal concern, tho first thing we notice is that although there are, electrio arc lamps in certain prominent ■positions, the hulk of the streets in Genera are lighted -with gas. In the town Heel! there are 1353 gas lamps, of iwhich 799 hum till 12.30 a.m., and no (fewer than 654 are kept alight all night. In this respect Geneva is far more progressive, or shall we cay more enlightened, than the city of Christchurch. In Geneva towns and suburbs there are 2608 public gas lamps. Nor Jias electricity displaced gas in tho homes of the people. The total number of private consumers on the 31st December, 1906, was 25,470, showing an increase during the year of 2021), or 8.66 per cent. Gas stoves are evidently popular, no fewer than 13,945 having bee;i installed eince 18S6, when tho policy of fixing cookers free was inaugurated. The prico of gas to jjcivate consumers is 5s per 1000 feet, with which the price in Christchurch, 5s 3d, with mantles free, compares not unfavourably.

The moral to be derived, from these figures is, we think, plain. Geneva, a town of great industrial activity, with nearly twico the population of Christchurch, is charging for municipal electricity for lighting purposes supplied by water power, more than is being charged in Christchurch for electricity from the destructor. After the hydroelectrio installation has been in operation for ten years, the rovenue derived from the sale of power electricity in the town of Geneva is only some £7000 per annum. At the same time gas sold by the municipality is no cheaper than that sold in Christchurch iby a private company. It would surely bo prudent for the Christchurch, City Council, before adopting the Waimakarin scheme, to take the advice, not only of engineers'as to tho construction ot the works, but of qualified experts as to what are likely to bo the financial results of the scheme. .The actual experience of Geneva is far from encouraging. Its contrast with the rosy visions which have been locally conjured up by optimistic enthusiasts is indeed painfully depressing.