LAKE COLERIDGE BREAKDOWN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22436, 24 June 1938, Page 12

LAKE COLERIDGE BREAKDOWN

RAPID PROGRESS OF REPAIRS FIVE GENERATORS NOW WORKING Full repairs to the Lake Coleridge power-station switch gear, which blew out and was damaged' by fire on Tuesday afternoon, will take a week, according to a statement - by the Minister for Public Works (the. Hon. R. Semple). While repairs are being made, the Waitaki station wiJI be under a severe strain, and the Minister appealed to the public to restrict the use of electricity to a reasonable minimum in he meantime.

The fifth machine, developing 3000 kilowatts, was brought into operation at Lake Coleridge yesterday afternoon, and it was hoped that by continuous work two of the three generators developing 7500, kilowatts each, would be in use some time to-day. Last night, the station was producing 15,000 kilowatts; its maximum output is 34,500 kilowatts.

The fault occurred in the middle of the three sections of switch gear, and the damage, when the fault caused an explosion and set alight the bitumen compound insulation in the chambers, was extensive. Assistance in maintaining the supply was given by the Dunedin City Council’s electricity department and the Waitaki Electric Power Board by their running the stand-by plants at Dunedin and Oamaru. The steam plant of the Christchurch Tramway Board Was used yesterday to supply power for the trams. The City Council also used its stand-by plant to generate power for the Christchurch premises connected with the directcurrent supply. The Railway Department also helped to relieve the pressure by curtailing its electrically-operated train services on the Christchurch-Lyttelton run. Only one electric engine was used on the line and all goods trains were hauled by steam.