Twizel fuel arrives

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33252, 15 June 1973, Page 3

Twizel fuel arrives

A big shipment ol diesel fuel which I arrived in Timaru lasi evening in the Athelviscount has ensured that earthmoving work or the Upper Waitaki power development projeet will continue without interruption.

Deliveries had been delayed by the recent dispute involving the Cooks’ and Stewards’ Union, and yesterday the Ministry of Works reported that its stocks of diesel would keep all machi-

nery and trucks rolling only until Monday. After that only concrete production would have continued, and even this work would have stopped within a week. The Ministry said no diesel fuel was available at Oamaru or Dunedin, and supplies at Christchurch were very low. The Athelviscount is discharging 684,000 gallons of diesel at Timaru. The weekly consumption at Twizel is more than 50,000 gallons. Yesterday less than 15,000 gallons was in the storage tanks at various construction sites. Fuel was rationed at Twizel this week to ensure that important work would continue as long as possible. The project engineer (Mr S. M. J. Smith) said that any delay in construction must have national repercussions on the future supply of power, which already looked bleak for this winter and even bleaker for future years.