Lees Valley Power Line Under Way

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32120, 16 October 1969, Page 7

Lees Valley Power Line Under Way

Construction will begin today on the line to take an electricity supply to Lees Valley. Subject to favourable weather and construction conditions, the valley residents may be drawing electricity from the North Canterbury Electric Power Board system by the end of January. This was announced by the general manager of the board (Mr D. W. Harris) on Tuesday. Lees Valley is one of the last two districts to be reticulated by the board. The other is the Lewis Pass. At present farmers in the valley generate their own electricity by diesel plants. Cost Of Line

The line, to serve about 12 houses and a school, will cost about $49,000: the board will provide the finance out of revenue, and by a 20-year loan. The annual charges during the loan period will be met by minimum annual guarantees by the valley property holders and a subsidy from the Rural Electrical Reticulation Council. All electric supply authorities in the country contribute 3-16ths of a per cent of their total annual revenue to the council for this purpose. The line will be one of the highest for normal consumer use in the board’s area. Some points will be up to 1700 ft, but the board has some special purpose lines, for the Post Office microwave and other repeater stations, up to about 3000 ft.

Most of the high voltage conductors will have a single steel core surrounded by six strands of aluminium. For extra strength where longer spans are required in the more difficult country and in more exposed localities, the conductors will consist of four strands of steel and three of aluminium. Construction will be more difficult than usual as in some parts rock will have to be blasted to make holes for the poles, The) route of the feeder will closely follow the access road through the Ashley Gorge. Construction will begin in the valley to prevent

blasting from interfering with lambing. 400 Pole* The board began taking In poles and materials for the line last Thursday. About 400 poles will be used for the high voltage feeder, and all low voltage connections from the high voltage lines to the individual consumers will be by underground cables. Underground connections were much tidier, and would also avoid the risk of damage by the severe storms and snow conditions which could be experienced in the valley, said Mr Harris. The main feeder would be built under contract to Mr G. Lindstrom, who had done similar work for the board, he said.