Power saving

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33513, 19 April 1974, Page 10

Power saving

Sir, —Could one of the power authorities explain why a daily four to eight hour water heating cut is not imposed, regardless of the. days when consumption is below quota. Surely this is ■ logic for conservation of supply over long periods. Householders would then be able [to plan and use supply more -economically. — Yours, etc., A. TILLEY. : April 7, 1974. [Mr J. P. Shelley, general manager of the Municipal 'Electricity Department, replies: “The New Zealand [Electricity Department provides each supply authority; with a week to week alloca-i tion of power. Supply authori-l ties are required to keep 'within this allocation but are -I not required to keep below it. Owing to the savings which are being made by all I consumers it is usually not [necessary to take further action if the weather is [warm and only during weeks ■when there are spells of cold :weather is it. necessary to: 'take further action, most! supply authorities using water heater cuts in the first' [instance and only reverting: to total blackouts if this does: not prove sufficient. Four: 'hour cuts in water heating are of no value as there is [ plenty of time for the saving to be made up during the day, eight hour cuts proving the minimum of value. It is regretted that more warning cannot be given of cuts but this depends on the weather from day to day. To institute cuts every day would needlessly deprive the consumers of their hot water.”]