SOUTH ISLAND POWER

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24960, 22 August 1946, Page 4

SOUTH ISLAND POWER

Meeting Demand In 1947 And 1948 DEPARTMENT’S PLANS

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, August 21. The State Hydro-Electric Department has decided to build a temporary dam at the outlet of Lake Tekapo to provide additional water storage for the winters of 1947 and 1948 until the permanent Tekapo station and dam are finished early in 1949. In addition, a start will be made this year with the building of a permanent dam at the entrance to Lake Pukaki, which may give additional storage for next winter, and will be finished before the winter of 1948. This information was given to-day by the general manager of the department (Mr F. T. M. Kissel) in an interview. , 7 Mr Kissel explained how the department proposed to meet the growing demand progressively in each winter until 1951, when the big Clutha, or Black Jack’s Point, scheme is expected to be finished. The winter of 1951 may be the crucial period, and Mr Kissel expects the demand to be met m the intervening years. Mr Kissel said that because of the difficulty and expense in obtaining electrical plant and equipment the growth of demand might not be_as great as some people expected. The reticulation of some power boards was now carrying all it could, and boards generally had a good deal of deferred maintenance to do before there could be a great deal of extension. The department’s calculations were based on an annual increase of 10 per cent, in demand for power, but he did not think there would be such an increase in the next two or three years in the South Island. The position tnere was different from that in the North Island, where the demand had been banking up during a period of shortages. . Increase m Demand Mr Kissel gave the following figures of the percentage increase in demand since 1940-41: —

Maximum Year demand Units 1940- .. .. 8.2 9.7 1941- .. .. 10. V 6.2 1942- .. .. 6 7.1 1943- .. .. 3.3 7.5 1944- .. .. 10.5 5.9. 1945- ... ..6 6.9 Mr Kissel said that on the basis of the growth of demand, potential power supply from all schemes, ana a normal low year (not the average) for water, the department had calculated that it would get through the winter of 1946 as it had done. There might be a bit. of a squeeze in the winter of 1947, when contracts for the use of stand-by plants would be used again. In addition, a temporary barrage was being put in at Tekapo, which would give about six feet of storage, compared with 15 to 20 feet to be provided by the permanent dam. Work on this was starting almost immediately. It was hoped to finish the job so that storage could be built up this summer for the coming winter. At the same time •- the department proposed to go ahead with a permanent dam at Pukaki, which would be incorporated in the ultimate development scheme resembling that at Tekapo. He was not sure yet if this dam would be finished in time to provide additional storage for next winter. Greater use would also be made of Highbank this year. Irrigation schemes were not taking the full draw off this year, and except for shut downs for maintenance work there would be water for power all the year round. There had been some silting up of the main race, he understood.

Winter of 1948 Mr Kissel said that for the winter of 1948 the department would have additional storage at Pukaki, and a new 15.000-kilowatt generator at Waitaki. The new generator would enable the department to generate more power at Waitaki right through the summer, and thus have greater storage in Lakes Coleridge and Waipori, which would give more power in tne Discussing prospects for the winter of 1949, Mr Kissel said the Tekapo station, with a generator of 25.00 U kilowatts, should be available by then. In addition the permanent storage scheme at Tekapo would be finished. Progress was much better now at Tekapo, where there had been some teething troubles in the use of a tunnelling shield for the first time in New Zealand. Old timber had caused the trouble. It was intended this week to begin using a second shield, and it was hoped that progress would be much faster. The generating machinery wrs originally due for delivery this year, but the date had been put back to June, 1947. However, there was every reason to hope the statical wouiu be operating in 1949. After that the department would have to carry on until it had the next major station in operation. That would either be in the Clutha river or at Black Jack’s Point in the Waitaki. It would probably be in the Clutha, where an access road was now being built. Foundations were still being tested, but they appeared to be sound. The winter of 1951 might be tight, and there was more cause for concern about that year than there had been about 1046 or 1947. However, he believed that if nothing unforeseen occurred, the major station would be operating in that, year.