Reconstruction Work By Central Power Board

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30392, 17 March 1964, Page 10

Reconstruction Work By Central Power Board

Reporting to the monthly meeting of the Central Canterbury Electric Power Board, the engineer-manager (Mr S. E. Slatter) said that considerable reconstruction of distribution lines in the Ellesmere County had been possible in the last four years. The Leeston, Dunsandel and Southbridge 11 kilowatt feeders proceeding from the Brookside substation had been re-poled and greatly increased in capacity with the running of heavier conductors. Rather less had been achieved in the Lakeside area, but approximately 20 miles of 11 kilowatt line in all had been overhauled. Thirty miles of 11 kilowatt lines had yet to receive attention. Of the 23 miles of 3.3 kilowatt circuit still in service 11 were within the Dunsandel area, two in Selwyn and 10 in Lakeside and many steel poles, erected by contractors early in the board’s history, were due for replacement or repair. The 11,000/3300 breakdown transformers at Dunsandel and Lakeside, continued Mr Slatter, had been well up to load last winter and arrangements were in hand to relieve this situation. Completion of a programme of reconstruction in the areas supplied by the Brookside sub-station would indicate another four year’s work at the present rate of progress. £20,000 Annually

> Approximately £20,000 was expended in an average year on such restorative work. Reconstruction of the circuit to Harewood was proceeding. It was of interest that consumers within the airport confines accounted for approximately 3.6 per cent of the energy sold last year. The manufacturers had confirmed delivery of two kilowatt switchboards. One unit for Harewood sub-station would be shipped this month, and the other for Sockburn substation should follow in June. Urban Areas

An effort was being made to accelerate the installation of extra transformer capacity in the urban area, the engineer reported. Considerable growth in load had been experienced last winter and it was expected that this then would continue. The addition of further distribution transformers was contemplated as soon as labour permitted. Special poles had been designed for the sub-station structure at Harewood, Duvauchelle and Sockburn and

a start had been made on the installation of additional destribution transformer capacity in the built-up areas to meet the prospective winter loads. Increase In Load It was reported that the net loading added for the month had been 443.198 kilowatts. There had been 116 extensions to the load, including 14 new consumers. New Building

The chairman (Mr R. J. Roberts) said that very satisfactory progress was being made with the erection of the board’s new building at Akaroa.

The board agreed to writeoff bad debts, amounting to £234 16s 7d. It was said, however, that a bad debts register was being kept and that amounts, although written off, would not be lost sight of. Refresher courses for the staff in safe working practices and resuscitation had recently been held, it was reported, the main theme on this occasion being safety with cranes, hoists and lifting tackle.