“Benmore Not Connected With Power Shortage”

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30529, 26 August 1964, Page 1

“Benmore Not Connected With Power Shortage”

, The threat of power shortages in the South Island during September had nothing whatsoever to do with the filling of Benmore lake, but was precipitated entirely by the lack of storage in the South Island’s lakes after two unusually dry’ seasons, the Minister of Electricity (Mr Shand) said yesterday when replying to a correspondent to “The Press.”

The rain experienced in the catchment in the week-end had improved. the situation, but by how much would not be apparent for two or three days, the Minister said. It would at least reduce the severity of the problem moderately.

The filling of Benmore lake was an entirely different problem, and one with which the Electricity Department was certainly concerned, Mr Shand said. Benmore lake had to be full before the generators could operate. It held nearly one and a half times the usable storage of Lakes Pukaki and Tekapo. “Should the coming spring and summer follow the dry pattern of the last two years, the filling of Benmore will become a major problem,” he continued. “The first three generators at Benmore to be in service for next winter will be capable of producing power equivalent to. approximately two-thirds of the total South Island demand, and once the lake is filled both islands will be assured of surplus capacity for the following year.” The Minister added that Lake Taupo was almost full and heavy rain in the Waikato catchment area could be embarrassing. The correspondent, “Sparks,” asked: “Is the real reason (for the suggested power cuts) that the South

Island lakes are low, or is it because they have to be filled so that the filling of the Benmore dam will proceed according to schedule?” “Sparks” agreed with the Minister that the power resources were for the whole of New Zealand, but suggested that it would be in order to impose 10 per cent rationing on the North Island too so lake storage could be increased there as well, and the island would not be quite so desperate to get . the power from Benmore. Storage Higher After weeks of steady decline there had been a buildup in storage in the last 24 hours, said Mr R. S. S. Meredith, the district engineer of the New Zealand Elec : tricity Department yesterday. Storage yesterday morning was 113,920,000 units, 1.2 m more than on Monday morning. The main increase had been in the lake on the Cobb river power station near Takaka, where there had been an increase of 1.66 m units, Mr Meredith said. Lake Coleridge also rose, but only by 450,000 units, Lake Tekapo held its own, Hawea fell by 1.03 m units and Pukaki by 140,000 units. The fine weather had also, caused a drop in generation. Monday’s output was 8,682,000 units, whereas normal for this time of the year would be about 9m.

While the slight increase in storage was better than

previously, savings were still necessary, Mr Meredith said. Consumers of the Christchurch Municipal Electricty Department appeared to have made a saving of 3 or 4 per cent, said Mr W. G. Johnstone, the electrical engineer. It was difficult to arrive at any accurate figure on savings as the temperature and weather affected consumption, he said, but during the last four days consumption had been lower than would normally have been expected when compared with the previous week.

While there appeared to have been some saving, it was considerably short of the 10 per cent requested by the Minister, and every effort should still be made .to conserve power, Mr Johnstone said.

The department was switching off street lighting as early as practicable in the mornings, but there was no move to put out the lights at night, as had been done in Timaru.