Power Restrictions In North Still “Essential”

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28752, 25 November 1958, Page 16

Power Restrictions In North Still “Essential”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, November 24.

Premature action to end power restrictions could easily lead to conditions which would not only put an end to comfort, but also endanger the livelihood of many people employed in productive industry, says the general manager of the State Electricity Department (Mr A. E. Davenport) in his weekly circular to all North Island power supply authorities.

“The willing co-operation of supply authorities , and consumers alike is absolutely essential until the necessity for power restrictions disappears,” adds Mr Davenport.

The recent cold weather made conditions difficult last week. Only the Hutt Valley and Wairoa Power Boards qualified to be placed on a daily quota from midnight next Wednesday, but many others were on the borderline. “At the present time the amount of storage required to justify a relaxation of the rationing from

10 to 5 per cent, is over 280 mil- ■ lion units, and we are 100 mil-! lion short of the required total,’' he says.

Power generated was 73 million units, and consumption was 62 > million, or .008 per cent, below allocation. Two new stations contributed. 3,750,000 units, but this still left a deficiency of 11 million units i which had to be supplied from storage. In the main lakes the' deficiency was 13 million units, and the storage in them was down to 182 million units.

“The Lake Taupo level is unchanged at 29 per cent, full, while the Waikaremoana level dropped one foot and the lake is now 12.1 per cent, full,” he said.