WATER POWER.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16408, 31 December 1918, Page 8

WATER POWER.

PROGRESS OF LAKE COLERIDGE

SCHEME

The hydro-electric installation at Lake Coleridge 'was subjected to a severe test, probably the most severe test, it will be subjected to, during the winter of 1918. The fall of snow experienced was an exceptional one, an® as a result of the abnormal weather conditions there was a serious interruption of the supply of current. The Christchurch Tramway Board's standby plant to some extent mitigated iJie inconvenience of. consumers in the city of Christchurch-. »

The demand for additional current was great during the year, and i.tii April tho maximum load reachcd 5800 kilowatts,; or 200 kilowatts under the total capacity of the existing plant at tho power .station. It was hoped that tho fifth generator would have been installed during the year, but war conditions. made this impossible. At the e.nd of the year the Public Works Department had not received' any definite assurance that the generator would be shipped, but it was hoped that the cessation of hostilities would have the effect of facilitating the early shipment of the much needed additional plant. Consequent on the existing olant at the power house being taxed almost to its full capacity, the Department had to decline an application by a London firm for '2500 liorse-power for proposed electric smelting works in the vicinity of Christchurch, and also an application for 1000 h.p. for steel smelting, works. The installation has now been in operation for over three years, and the fitmrrg relating to output and consumption for each year ended March 31st are as follows: — OUTPUT. 1915-16.. 1916-17.' 1017-18. Unite. Units. Units. Power house 4,360,260 14,774,960 22,403,660 Transmission losses 752,028 1,840,730 I,£ M,230 Percentage 15.0 12.5 8.3 Distribution . losses ' 133,465 1,269,269 694,754 Percentage 3.2 9.8 3.4 CONSUMPTION. consumers 3,917,841 19,537,386 Retail consumers . 76,926 190,000 307,290 , Totals 3,994,767 11,664,961 19,844,676 The revenue in 1915-16 was, per kilowatt (power-house maximum) £6.20; (sub-station maximum) £7.00; per unit generated, 0.42 d; per unit sold, 0.512 d. In 1916-17, per kilowatt (p.h. max.) £4.75; (sub-station maximum) £5.30; per unit generated 0.587 d; per unit gold 0.427 d. In 1917-18, per kilowatt (p.h. max.) £5;90; (sub-etation max.) £6:69; per unit generated, 0.344 d; per unit sold 0.388 d.' Low tension reticulations have been> carried out during 1917-18 in the following districts: — No. of District. • Consumers. Kaiapoi Borough .. .. 214 Paparua, County ... .. 137 Halswell County .. .. 27 Eyro County .. 49 Bangiora County - .. 13 ToUl .ft .. «0

On March. 31st, 1917, there were only 134 consumers in the above-named districts. A striking feature'of the development of the use of electricity during the year was the increasing demand from country districts for a supply of power. In the Tai Tapu Dairy Company's area of supply, 2o milking plants are driven, by electric motors, and 20 in the Eyre County. Extensions of the reticulation system were carried out during the year by the Christchurch City Council, the Waimairi County Council, the Lyttelton and Sumner Borough Councils, and the Tai Tapu Dairy Company. The Christchurch Drainage Board's sewage pumping plant was converted to electric driving, the 6upply being obtained from the City Council, and the change resulted in a substantial reduction in the cost of pumping. A contract was entered into, during top year with Messrs Waddell and Sons far: a supoly of power for steel smelting; another contract was entered into with, a syndicate ror the supply of electric energy for the manufacture of caustic soda and hydrochloric acid. All the seven tanneries and fellmongeries within reach of the existing power lines are now operated by electricity, and all five flour mills: in the area of supply are being similarly operated.