HYDRO STATION AT ROXBURGH

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 28002, 23 June 1956, Page 2

HYDRO STATION AT ROXBURGH

FILLING OF NEW LAKE BEING PLANNED LEVEL OF WAKATIPU TO BE RAISED (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 22. ■ As Roxburgh station would soon be ready to start generating electricity, arrangements were in hand for filling the lake behind it, said the Minister of Works (Mr W. S. Goosman) today. The Kawarau gates at the outlet of Lake Wakatipu have been closed to enable it to rise and give a bigger flow for filling the new lake. It will take from 24 to 48 hours to fill the new lake after the sluice gates at Roxburgh are closed. For that period, the river will be shut off at Roxburgh. “Arrangements are in hand to cope with any inconvenience that may be caused by temporary reduction of the flow downstream,” said Mr Goosman.

FIVE DAYS’ NOTICE OF LAKE FILLING

Five days’ notice of the completion of stage six of the Roxburgh dam project—at which time the lake can be filled—should be received by the State Hydro-electric Department. “We have a programme for reaching stage six, at which stage the lake can be filled,” said the project manager for the contractors (Mr F. J. Handcock) yesterday. “We do not fill the lake—we don’t even lower the sluice gates for the lake to be filled. “We hopf to keep to that programme, but it is too early yet to tell when stage six will be reached with any certainty,” he said. “We would need five days to tell just when the lake could be filled. At that time we will advise the Minister in charge of the State Hydro-electric Department (Mr W. S. Goosman), and he could be expected to makp a statement then,” said Mr Handcock. “In the meantime we are keeping to our programme very well.”

FURTHER RISE IN STORAGE

South Island power storage rose again in the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday. Lake storage then stood at 88,920.000 units, the highest figure this winter, and an increase of L 850.000 units since Thursday. The only rain recorded in the catcnment areas during the period was .71iii at Monowai. A 14-degree frost was recorded at Lilybank yesterday morning, and at Tekapo there was a frost ot four degrees.

HEATHCOTE RELAXES RESTRICTIONS

Further relaxation of power restrictions in the Cashmere and Heathcote Valley areas was approved by the Heathcote County Council’s electricity committee yesterday. Regardless of alternative means of heating water, the use of electric water heaters will now be allowed from 10 p.m. to 8 am. daily. Radiators will be allowed on up to 9 a.m. and after 7 p.m., and outside lighting may be used.

Mr R. W. Morris, the County Clerk, said consumers were still asked to conserve power. What happened would depend on consumption under the relaxed restrictions from today.