£48m A Year For Power Predicted

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30847, 4 September 1965, Page 1

£48m A Year For Power Predicted

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 3. The average annual cost of power project construction during the next 10 years would be about £4Bm, the Minister of Electricity (Mr Shand) told Parliament today. A total of £3om was provided this year and progress on various projects would depend on the increase in the available labour force.

The Minister was speaking during ’ discussion of the Electricity Department estimates.

Earlier Mr Watt (Opp., Onehunga) said that according to experts the amount set aside in the estimates was far less than what should be spent. Planned generation over the next few years was too close, in his opinion, to estimates of consumption. Generation figures included the Kapuni station and dryyear deficits would be greater without that scheme in the programme.

There seemed little chance of constructing an alternative scheme to Kapuni within the available time, said Mr Watt. “It is evident we are not planning for sufficient nower supply,” he added. The alternative power, said Mr Watt, would have to come from a North Island source as the Cook Strait cable would by then be used to capacity. He asked what the Government planned for Maraetai 11. Mr Shand said the amount of £lOO,OOO provided on the estimates for Maraetai II was partly for maintenance and partly for construction. The station would need to be ready for commissioning about the time the Tongariro scheme was first brought into use in 1970.

It was proposed to begin steel fabrication this year, he said.

Mr H. L. J. May (Opp., Porirua) wanted an assurance there would be no power restrictions in 1967. “It seems to me we will be running •very close to the Wind,” he said.