Report On Strait Cable “Most Encouraging”

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29390, 17 December 1960, Page 14

Report On Strait Cable “Most Encouraging”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 16. The Minister of Electricity (Mr Goosman) said today that a report recently received from England Indicated that the trial power cable lifted from the bed of Cook Strait last February withstood its submergence tests with most encouraging results. The trial cable was lifted after a test period of two years, and the report on its condition is from the large British submarine cable firm responsible for the contract. “After the successful recovery operation, the cable was returned to the maker’s factory, where it was subjected to searching tests and thorough inspection by experts. I am informed the examination showed that the cable came through its tests extremely well,’’ Mr Goosman said. “In its summary the report

says: ‘The results of these exhaustive tests and examinations showed the cable to be in the same excellent condition as when it left the factory. It is concluded that this type of cable can be used to provide a perfectly sound and reliable submarine electric power cable link between the North and South Islands of New Zealand.’ “My departmental engineers feel that this is a most satisfactory result, especially in view of the great deal of extra handling in the way of coiling and uncoiling which this cable suffered in the course of its laying, recovery, and return to the factory. I am told this is far beyond that which the operational cables will have to endure.” Mr Goosman said.

“Similarly encouraging is the result of current measuring work recently done in the strait and reported on by the New Zealand Electricity Department. This was aimed at showing that currents flowing close to the sea-bed are not of sufficient strength to move the large 901 b a yard cables once they have been laid. “It seems that, even though quite strong currents flow at the surface, only about one-third of these velocities will exist at distances of about a foot from the bottom, and this will not worry the cables,” he added.