LAKE COLERIDGE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18347, 2 April 1925, Page 9

LAKE COLERIDGE.

overload increasing.

Attention was directed last week to fact that the maximum load at the Coleridge power station during the week ended Mauh 22nd, was 1(30 . v . j n excess of the nominal gencratinc capacity of the plant. The report for the week ending March 29th shows that a further jump in the demand for _. r has occurred, the overload having increased to 110 k.w. The maximum load at the power l-ouse during the week ended March JJJwi, was 12,440 k.w., and wa s recorded C* Fridav' night between 7 p.m. and '3opm fprevious week. 12,160 k.w., between 0.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. r&: recorded between 6.30 p.m. and 7 D ! ni. on March 27th (previous week, rtiortlc'w.. recorded between 7 p.m. and 730 P- m o ' l 20th;. The lake . i ff as at 1070.18 ft (previous -week. Ifi7o.2ft): average inflow from Harper river'.* 239 cuser s (previous week 300 tOSCC'v* • (f), c overload on the generating plant . power house has not reached a ' noint that should cause concern, as it that the, plant can cope 3 n o vcr 'oad of 20 per cent.; the noteworthv point is that the demand for .extra power, despite the comparative mildness of the season, has set in fairly early this year. As compared with the enrresnondinp period last year a new factor this year is the demand /rom Timaru, and some portion of the increased demand is represented by the requirements of consumers in that torn- i

CITY'S POWER SUPPLY.

THE NEW CONTRACT. Or.- A. Mjclvellar, the Deputvv Mayor and chairman of the Electricity Committee, was asked yesterday by a Importer as to the position in regard to the city's new contract with the Public Works Department to replace the contract ifhieli expired on March 31st.

' Cr, McKellar said that there was nothing fresh to report. The City Council, was awaiting a letter from "the Department on the subject of the new cojitrpct.

PROVINCIAL CONTROL.

- PROGRESS LEAGUE SUGGESTION. ■ If Canterbury as a province had more ; contrtl in the management of its sup- . ply of electric power and lighting, and ■viv voice in tho selection of new sources 0* supply, many of tho great difficul- ' ties with which the province is faced in qjectrical matters would be removed, arcording to statements made by J,ho ' efrganiser (Mr P. R. Climie) in his per-jadical-ieport on Lafce Coleridge, read tt'lasfoevening's meeting of the Exe- ■■■■"■ qkivdTof tho Canterbury* Progress ikaguW'vße also referred to the winter 6BpVlj the progress of the new ' past exepericnces, stated ':H, JWftlfii® in his ronoit, it was worth .improving the eflitho supply from the view■VS'iilV of the province. -The avenue of lerment that it. was hoped wouiu t result of the proposals of the later ol Public Works for the realisation of the work of his own dement so far as it related to elecL supply had apparently closed, as Minister had withdrawn his propoThe League, however, could conthe question of how Canterbury it be allowed control of the manlent of its provincial supply and a s at least in the development of sources. If town and country diss were brought to realise that their ests in this respect were identical, laiion to put their power facilities . better footing within the provinboundary could bo effected by coition. He recommended the apfcmont of a small committee of gen[y interested persons willing to give isonable amount of time aiid. attento the consideration o"£ tho disabili- * ties characterising the present method control and ways of remedying them, f In the past the interests of the province had suffered because Canterbury p& ; 8# a ptovinco had no standing in regard k tb electrical questions. S Another matter discussed m tho ref pott tfas the adequacy of tEe winter sUppl ?. The suhject had had a good k <Te»l of consideration by the Public Department in the meantime, ||'and' arrangements had been made that gS enabled them, they staled, to face the lition with a fair degree of conned Mr Climie quoted figures deatsrith the capacity of the plant, the ble extra demands and various i in which such demands might be It was not expected that the Denent would have to call upon even auxiliary sources in the winter tbs., Last winter's difficulties i the load was dangerously near limfr were due to exceptional cir'4p enmstances. A system of siphons had been introduced would preWit the loss of hydraulic head through it- friction of the screens at the '>y Btuiuld the unexpected happen the 3>epayment could call upon other cenert uihg plants in the district, such as ; those of the Tramway Board., City "i' Council, Drainage Board, Ashburton Power Board and Timarn Borough 'Orancil, whoso total capacity, eetiv- mated on a baSis of 85 per cent, power - factor, would 'be 2600 kilowatts. Ar- . fftogements similar to the _ contract j With the Tramway Board, wliich could -•, he .called upon to supply current at u Hftlf-an-hqnr's notice, could perhaps be ; made with other authorities—public, ~ and even private. He also suggested ' offering inducements to power users t to make no demand upon the current be- - tween certain hours, say between -1 and 6 p.m. on week-nights when ordinarily the industrial and domestic domrmel ■ created the highest peak of the day. alteration of the working .. 'hours in power-using industries seemed „ j 'flii) best solution of the problem from point of (view. Hand-to-mouth 5 "., "fflevfioias would cease with the cotnplei'*; titoi of the new works, but they should agitate for still further extensions of %the province's power resources, for it expected that the augmented would meet all demands for a decade only. Referring to tho general progress of the new work, Mr Glimio stated that there were encouraging indications that , we soil near the centre shaft was gradually being drained. Mr J. Boban expected that if all went well he wonld Pe .able to complete the work by February next, an extension of about four tmonths on the original period of the .. contract. The contractors for tho y supply of material for the pipe line did not expect any difficulty in completing tneir work within contract time. All other work would be completed at the -barinjjing of next year. ,xh6 chairman (Mr A. P. Wright) B?jd that the suggestion made by the *j£ an * Ber in- regard to the transference wine part of the control of the man-' of its own supply to the Pro'was one of the most important Uie League had had before it. moved that the matter be referred ISl&str~~ — - at foot of next column.)

to a nomination committee of the presidents of the organisations: — c n mLeague, Canterbury Chamber oj U\ merco, Canterbury A and P. A£ tion. Canterbury Industrial .Assertion, Canterbury Fanners Lnion, burton Chamber °f p ,m ® r?. n _ South Canterbury . Chamber meroe, the nomination coinnnttee select the personnel of the propose" committee and draw up an crder of re was seconded by Mr W. Goss, and carried.