ROXBURGH NEARS COMPLETION

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27990, 9 June 1956, Page 8

ROXBURGH NEARS COMPLETION

Target Of Power By August 3 MUCH OF PLANT READY NOW (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, June 8. August 3 is the target date for the generating of the first power at Roxburgh, but already many sections of the vast hydro-electric scheme are complete. When the Minister in charge of the State Hydro-electric Department (Mr W. S. Goosman) asked for an estimate at the beginning of the month, the contractors, Cubitts. Zschokke, Downer, promised that the dam would be ready to fill with water within 60 working days. By economies in time and by deferring as many of the less urgent jobs as possible, the contractors considered they would be able to achieve this target comfortably. However, because of the many sections of the project now completed, and the steady progress on the remaining work, the target may be beaten by a considerable margin. The Roxburgh branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union has approved the revised programme of work. A bonus scheme, based on the principle that “the man who does the work gets the money.” has been announced by the Ministry of Works. For every week from June 5 that a man works all shifts offered to him, he will receive £2. Further, every man employed at the completion of the filling of the lake will receive £1 for every complete day the lake is filled earlier than midnight on August 20. For instance, if the lake is filled on August 1 (as it almost certainly will be), each man will receive £l9. A man leaving the project of his own accord is entitled to any weekly bonus he has earned, but not the daily bonus for early filling of the lake. If he has to leave because of redundbe entitled to the second £1 a day bonus, as if he has worked until the lake is filled. Payment to Contractors There is no bonus for the contractors in the new programme. They were so far ahead of the original contract date that it was considered they had already earned the maximum bonus of £300,000. A substantial sum has already been spent in speeding work U P so that the bonus can be earned A second upper anchor block a short sleeve-like concrete block moulded about the penstock tube as >'t emerges from the dam wall, must be in position before the turbines turn. The first block is in position, and that for the second unit is being cast. The State Hydro-electric Department s outdoor station, where the electricity from the powerhouse will be broken down, is complete. So are the many miles of high-voltage transmission lines connecting the scheme with the Halfway Bush and Islington substations.

rr.t, The J wan °. f , the dam was finished on the exception of some °f the slots between the blocks. These will be filled within the next week or

On Thursday, also, the framework of the two sections of the powerhouse was bolted together. The roof and orecast concrete blocks with which the building is veneered extend past the fir st two generators to No. 3 unit -J??; 1 fie, ? era tor is complete, waiting for the water to turn it. and final adjustments are being made to the second unit.

_ Jobs for Completion Much of the work remaining is on the upstream face of the dam; and it is on jobs m this area that the energies a subs * al ? tlal section of the labour are bein " concentrated The penstock gates have been fabri- ? nd K I,e on the crest of the dam , be , swung over their respecporiti<m’ StOCk blocks and dropped into

«teJL s }Y blc . b wi!l protect the penI ? ou t bs fro m debris floating in ’Jje water have yet to be fitted. One ot tne jobs not yet completed is the sMe COnerete gUideS in which

The 135-ton spillway cates, which will regulate the level of the lake be en built in position. The bi« task of casting in position the concrete f ° r the 6ates is ab ° u < move the gates is already installed. Before the sluicewav gates in wha 4 shut and n th ly i t he . divers ’on cut are shut, and the lake rises, a large dump 5 0r l c I e i e ly>ng upstream will have io be taken away. ™ ree heavy earth-moving machines am’ ,na 'v”i? fhe downstream coffer dam. which has held the river from running back into the site while the dam was being built. Although thev on it e thl nl^ g J.” make an impression th niachmes have still a lone i? the dam consisted originally of 50,000 cubic yards of earth.