THUNDERSTORMS AND GALES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17983, 29 January 1924, Page 9

THUNDERSTORMS AND GALES.

EFFECT ON ELECTRICITY SERVICE. A REASSURING REPORT. The city electricity service survived splendidly the thunderstorm? on Christmas Day and the gales of - Regarding the thunderstorms. the Electricity Committee reported as follows to the City Council sa,st night: A good deal of publicity has been given to the storm and the a'leged damage caused to electrical equipment m the city. For the information of the Council it is reported that damage of this kind was eaused by lightning in only three known cases, viz.. the Kaiapoi Factory in Manchester street, damage to the direct current service and the watt hour meter: two other cases being in private residences, where only slight damage was done, and there is some doubt as to the. lightning having been the cause of the trouble. Interruption in the supply from two of the sub-stations was caused for a short period by the opening of the circuitbreakers, and the street lighting from one of the circuits in the Papanui area was interrupted owing to water getting into the time switch, which was mounted outside, and subject to the weather. The actual effect of the storm was, therefore, very limited. Normally, neither the frequency of lightning storms nor their intensity in Christehurch make them any serious menace to electrical equipment. In the matter of the gales the committee stated: — During the gales on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, 13th, 14th, and 15th inst., the electrical reticulation snfU-red in common with otlier parts of the city property, and with the lines of the Public Works aiid Post and Telegraph Department. Most of the city troubles were of a minor character, with the exception of two cases' at New Brighton on Sunday, where trees fell across the lines —in one case an 11,000 volt circuit, and in another case a low tension circuit. This involved interruption to ■supply until repairs were effected the same evening. In view of the severity of the gales, and the amount of trouble experienced by other local bodies, the department s supply system may be considered to have fared very satisfactorily. The committee considers that in view of all the circumstances, and the amount of minor damage done to the city lines o\er a wide area in a short period, that the City Electrical Engineer and his stall with the matter very effectively.