SOUTH ISLAND POWER

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25088, 21 January 1947, Page 3

SOUTH ISLAND POWER

SUPPLY AUTHORITIES’ CONCERN MEETING TO BE HELD AT CHRISTCHURCH The relationship between the present and prospective, demand for power and the present and potential generating capacity in the South Island will be discussed at a meeting of the South Island regional committee of the Electric Power Boards and Supply Authorities’ Association at Christchurch on February 7. The meeting has been called by Mr M. E. Lyons, chairman of the committee, who will preside. Mr J. A. Nash, chairman of the association, who will be in the South. Island at that time, will attend. Although the State Hydro-electric Department does not acknowledge that there is the same degree of anxiety about future power supplies, the distributing authorities are concerned. They wish to consider what steps can be takfen to anticipate wisely the difficult days that they believe are to come. By taking such steps now they believe they could do much to avert or minimise a widespread shortage later. It is contended that in the North Island there is not sufficient appreciation of the power situation in the South Island, because of the- drastic power restrictions already suffered in the North Island.

South Island power supply authorities are concerned about new demands for power as much as with the generating side of the question. If they give supply now for some purposes which may not be essential they would not be able to cancel it if a shortage develops. Such uses of power would then reduce the limited quantity available for essential uses. It is understood that one of the causes of disquiet is the increasing demand for electricity for space heating in buildings.