$1m Power Extension Slowed By Weather

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31728, 11 July 1968, Page 1

$1m Power Extension Slowed By Weather

Extensions to the Islington-Bromley power system have been hampered by bad weather and may not be completed until October.

The $1 million scheme was to have been finished before the end of the winter but slushy conditions on the Cashmere hills have made access to the tower sites almost impossible. The transmission line engineer of the Electricity Department (Mr P. E. Dunn) said yesterday that failure to complete the line by the intended date would not affect power supplies to Christchurch. But the new line would be needed next winter when the demand for power in Christchurch would be considerably greater. Foundations for 70 of the 80 towers between Islington and Bromley have been laid and 56 towers have been built Linemen have strung four of the 17 miles of conductor. ' Foundations have still to be laid on the flat near the Tunnel Road and on the hills. One of the towers on the southern slopes of the hills will be 160 ft

During the last two years the department has spent $2 million in boosting electricity supplies to Christchurch.

More than half has already been spent on the Papanui and Addington lines and the work now in progress. A new line between Islington and Addington will be built as soon as the Bromley work is completed. The electricity requirements of greater Christchurch will be met until about the turn of the century.