POWER POSITION WORSE

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26119, 23 May 1950, Page 6

POWER POSITION WORSE

DRAW OFF OF LAKE STORAGE M.E.D. AREA WITHIN ALLOCATION “With* the present trend of high load and low water inflow, the usable storage is likely to be exhausted before the end of July,” said Mr A. E. Davenport (General Manager of the State Hydro-electric Department) yesterday in his weekly review of the power situation. Cpnsumption of power continued at a high level, he said, and a further 5.250,000 units had been drawn from storage in a week. The comment which he had made last week on the seriousness of the situation Applied now Avith even more force. For the week ended yesterday, the consumption in the M.E.D. area was .7 per cent, under the allocation. Consumption on Sunday exceeded the allocation. “It is possible that the cold spell on Sunday made people use a little more power than was anticipated,’’ said Mr J. C. Forsyth (engi-neer-manager of the M.E.D.). The storage in the lakes yesterday was down to 88.410,000 units, and the flow in the Waitaki river had dropped by 154 cusecs to 4769 cusecs. The Harper river flow at 156 cusecs was 5 cusecs lower than on Sunday morning. ,• e ._}? vel of Lak e Coleridge has risen slightly and is offset by the falls at Lakes Pukaki, Monowai, and Mahinerangi. Freezing weather on Sunday, with snow, was reported from the Mount Cook area. If the freeze-up begins in earnest in the Alps, the position will become more serious. All supply authorities are hoping for several days of heavy nor’-west rain along the Alps Power consumption in the South Island last week was 5.41 per cent, above the allocation, compared with an excess consumption of 7.91 per cent in th ?„ E r ?Xj£ us week - Consumption P nits ’ compared with 14.420,346 units in the previous week. NORTH ISLAND WITHIN ALLOCATION (New Zealand Press Association) „ WELLINGTON, May 22. . North Island kept within its allocation of electric power last week by .31 per cent. Consumption for the nn e i e JS wa ? 31.708,824 units, which was 99.144 units below the allocation. The general manager of the State Hydro-electric Department (Mr A. E. Davenport) said to-day that there had been no important change in the hydraulic situation.