Minister Discusses Atomic Power

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27795, 21 October 1955, Page 6

Minister Discusses Atomic Power

With New Zealand's hydro and geothermal resources, it might be a long time before the country needed to go into the production of power from .nuclear energy, unless there were considerable improvements, said the Ministr in charge of the state Hydroelectric Department (Mr W. S. Goosman) speaking to the annual conference of the New Zealand Electrical Supply Authorities’ Association yesterday.

The Minister said that Mr M. G. Latta, chief engineer of the department, had attended the Geneva conference on the peaceful uses ot atomic power. Information was limited, but preliminary reports indicated that New Zealand should continue to use the sources of power It could produce without the importation of fuel, Sir -Christopher Hinton, managingdirector of the industrial group of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, had suggested that the time was not ripe for countries which had no supremely urgent need of additional power resources to embark on a reactor programme. Britain was in a desperate position, Mr Goosman said. This year, she was importing 12,000,000 tons of coal, whereas she used to export coal. So Britain had to plan for power from nuclear energy. Mr Goosman said that Mr Latta was

investigating under-sea transmission of power. There was no present proposal to install a cable across Cook Strait, and there were doubts about the possibility, but the Minister said it would be a great advantage to have the whole power supply of the coun-

He gave as an example the fact that Nelson and Marlborough had a surplus of power, which could have been very helpful to the rest of the South Island.

"We must deal with New Zealand as a whole,” Mr Goosman said. "New Zealand does not start or finish at Cook Strait, from either direction.” The South Island’s power worries were almost over, Mr Goosman said, and it was estimated that there would be a surplus of 88.000 kilowatts in 1957-88. There had been a lot of controversy about the installation of further machines in Roxburgh, he said, nut he, thought there was a growing valuation that adequate provision was being made. Benmore must be started in time to be commissioned in 1905-68, ho said. That was the intended programme.

-I*rg« fndmitries "Unless large industries are started and there is an upsurge of usage, there is sufficient power in the future for the South Island,” he continued, "but it

there is such an upsurge the programme can be altered to provide tor any situation that may arise.” Power was now looked on as number one priority and was the life blood of the country, he said. All available methods of producing it—hydro, geothermal and coal—were being exploited. At Wairakei the geothermal steam was being proved and the plant was being duplicated, said the Minister. Progress had not been as great as he would have liked, but negotiations were going on to- bring in a larger drill and for the introduction of the best American methods of drilling. The production of coal for the 180,000 kilowatt steam station was an enormous job, the Minister said, but consultants had been appointed and a programme of work laid down to ensure production of power from the station earlier than had first been hoped. Tenders for plant, all British, had been accepted, and contractors had been invited to submit credentials. Only those which were satisfactory and able to do the job would be invited to tender. The first operation tor two of the generators was planned tor September, 1958. e ■

Mr Latta had reported adversely on a 60,000 kilowatt gas turbine, Mr Goosman continued. The London consultants had made a comprehensive report, one of the conclusions of which was:—

“At the present stage of development we conclude that the gas turbine in moderate capacities of the order of 15,000 to 20,000 kilowatts is likely to be an economical proposition for peak load or Standby power plants, the annual running load factor of which is not greater than 30 per cent., whereas for base load purposes entailing a running factor in the region of 60 per cent, or higher, the gas turbine is not yet a desirable proposition on technical grounds,”

The North Island still had valuable hydro power, although it was limited, said the Minister. The department was very short of staff for investigation and had made arrangements with a British firm to supply some engineers to assist in investigating all sources as soon as possible.