WATER STORAGE FOR POWER

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27444, 2 September 1954, Page 12

WATER STORAGE FOR POWER

SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN SOUTH ISLAND

NEW STATION IN USE AT WAIPORI

The productive capacity of the water stored for. the South Island power system was increased yesterday morning by 3,150,000 unite with the addition to the system bf the Dunedin City Corporation’s third station at Waipori, which is using the same storage water as the other two stations. The reading at 9 «J^ esterday ’ therefore, . was 39,620,000 units, compared with 36,550,000 unite on Tuesday morning. The actual drop in the 24 "hours, however, was 80,000 unite. The assistant district engineer of §, ta i? Hydro-electric Department (Mr E. E. James) said in Christchurch yesterday that, with the decline of only 80,000 units, the system was nearly down to river flow. ‘ If that rate of consumption was maintained, the remaining storage would last the better. Yesterday’s weather reports indicated that further conservation is necessary. In many parte of the catchment area, there were falls of snow, from two to three inches in depth, and the weather yesterday afternoon was reported to be bitterly cold. The City Council’s electricity committee will meet this afternoon to discuss consumption of power and restrictions in the Municipal Electricity Department’s district.