HYDRO-POWER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17989, 5 February 1924, Page 13

HYDRO-POWER.

AN ASHBURTON SCHEME. Just about the. time tho proDoscd Waimakariri and other schemes were first mooted for supplementing the Lake Coleridge hydro-electric power plant, Mr Andrew McFarlane, one of Ashburton "s pioneers, ivlio has been living on the brink of the North Ashburton Hi-, cr Gorgo for over sixtyyears, and who h; : s probably a more j intimate knowledge of that particular ■ spot and the vagaries of the north I branch of the Ashburton River than 1 any other individual, repeatedly e~i pressed his conviction that a sufficient i supply of water could be safely dammed j back a little W3y up the gorge from his j homestead to supply tho working of a j big stand-by plant for the Ashburton j Electric Power Board in case tho cur- | rent from Lake Coleridge was found insufficient for the Ashburton districts j needs, or in case the Lake Coleridge j current should temporarily fail at any j time, lie was so convinced that time j and again he expressed his opinion that j tho mouth at; the North. Ashburton j Gorgo could, and should, bo made a j suitable site for the construction of an [ electrical power stand-by plant. Mr | McFarlane, whose eldest "son is a member of the Ashburton Power Board, ".ill be pleased to know that others besides himself have realised that an Ashburton Gorge scheme is quite feasible, so much so that at a special meeting of tho Power Board held yesterday this schome was finally adopted after it had been reported upon by tho Board's j consulting engineer, Mr J. E. Tempiin, and tho site inspected by members, of the Board.

Mr l'\ "W. Watt, chairman, at ihc : special meeting held yesterday, said [ the adoption of the ISorth Ashburton River branch scheme would place the Board hi a position much more advantageous in the matter of the supply of current than any other Board. The completion of the north-branch scheme would afford an independent supply of 350 k.v.a. at a low How iu the river, and 51)0 k.v.a. at a maximum flow. The Board also had 150 k.v.a. from its Diesel engine. The Ijalco Coleridgo supply was very uncertain, and between thirty and forty interruptions, somo of not much moment and some of which would be non-recurring, had occurred. Some of these interruptions had, however, been scriou3. The Board could not go on linking up one district after another oa a single lino supply from Coleridge. There was a probability of a second transmission line being constructed, and this was a point which members- should consider against the north branch scheme. Tho north branch scheme, however, was going to bo a considerable factor iu reaching Mount Somors with a supply of current. Tho saving iu construction cost would be £3075. If the scheme were not adopted, tho Board would have to put in a synchronous condenser in Ashburton, a correcting factor, and' tho construction of a north branch scheme would mako this unnecessary. There was a possibility of an early duplication of tho Coleridgo transmission line, and then, the urgency of tho north branch scheme would bo put on a different footing. In the years 1925, 1920, and 1927, the Public Works Department was going to bo hard put to it in maintaining a sufficient'supply, and the question of the Board's supply to-day was not on a satisfactory basis. Tho Public Works Department had increased the Board's allocation to 900 k.v.a., but they could not find out what tho nature of the restrictions were, if any. From an engineering point of view tho scheme presented no difficulties, and would be a good tiling for the Board. Tho Board had to mako guarantees as follows: —1924, £1000; 1925, £2000: 1920, £2400; 1927, £2600; 1928,' £2800; 1929, £3OOO. After allowing for savings in various ways, and interest and sinking fund, the scheme could be operated for £3OOO a vear, and the- capital cost would bo £30,000. Tho scheme was intended to be purely subsidiary, and not in substitution of the Coleridge supply. The whole matter was fully discussed by the members of tbo Board present, and on the motion of Mr Stanley Smith, seconded by Mr B. F. Kicoll, it was decided that the Board should accept the Public Works Department's minimum 'guarantees, increasing from £IOOO in 1924 to £3OOO in 1929, and proceed forthwith with tho north branch scheme, subject to the consent of the Minister.