SLIGHT INCREASE IN POWER STORAGE

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30542, 10 September 1964, Page 18

SLIGHT INCREASE IN POWER STORAGE

At last there has been a rise in the level of water storage in South Island lakes feeding hydro-electric power stations—but most of it went into the Cobb river in Nelson, where it was not really needed. Total South Island storage rose by 1,540,000 kilowatt hours in the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday, but 1,520,000 units. Lake Tekapo’s storage station’s storage. Mr R. S. S. Meredith, district electrical engineer of the New Zealand Electricity Department, said Cobb —the only station in a rain-fed catchment —had been holding up well throughout

the present emergency, and to make full use of storage Cobb had been on full load 24 hours a day for some weeks. Lake Coleridge’s storage also rose by 300,000 units and Lake Monowai rose by 60,000 unis. Lake Tekapo’s storage stayed at the same level, Lake Pukaki by 140,000 units and Lake Hawea fell by 200,000 units. Generation, at 7,438,100 units on Tuesday, was 253,000 units less than on Monday. Rainfall at strategic points in the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday was 1.72 in at the Hermitage, 0.47 in at Lilybank, above Lake Tekapo, 0.15 in at Lake Hawea, 0.77 in at Lake Coleridge and 1.46 at Cobb.