POWER PROSPECTS DISCUSSED

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27426, 12 August 1954, Page 10

POWER PROSPECTS DISCUSSED

Outlook For Next Month “Grim” REPORT TO PROGRESS ’ LEAGUE The power prospects for the next four or five weeks were “pretty grim,” unless the rain which began in the catchment areas yesterday caused an early thaw in the back-country streams, said the secretary-manager of the North Canterbury Electric Power Board (Mr A. Buckingham) in a talk last evening to the Canterbury Progress League. From full storage—22o,ooo,ooo units—in March, the stakes had fallen continuously, apart from two small breaks, to the present level of 44,940,000 units, said Mr Buckingham. The main storage lakes, Pukaki and Tekapo. were at a level now where it would be “days rather than weeks” befbre the storage was exhausted. The figure of ,30,000,000 units was the “irreducible minimum” below which generating capacity was not equal to the peak daily demands. The plain fact was that there was insufficient hydro storage every winter to meet the demand, said Mr L. C. Walker. He asked why the State Hydro-electric Department was not investigating alternative means of generating electricity. There was a.locomotive already in use in France and elsewhere which required one-seventh of the normal amount of coal and could be used to generate electricity. When Mr A. R. Blank asked what plans had been made for a hydroelectric scheme after the completion of Roxburgh, Mr Buckingham said the 320,000-kilowatt capacity of Roxburgh should meet all demands until the Braeburn scheme, in the headwaters of the Buller, came into operation. Why was the Black Jack’s Point scheme dropped in favour of Braeburn? he was asked. “It may be that Braeburn is nearer the North Island,” said Mr Buckingham. The Braeburn scheme had an ultimate capacity of about 300,000 kilowatts, he added. New Zealanders were inclined to want things too cheaply, said Mr H. E Radley. He suggested that electricity charges should be raised to ensure “rationing by the purse.”