The Press SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1975. Saving power

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33787, 8 March 1975, Page 14

The Press SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1975. Saving power

This winter, despite earlier assurances that there would be plenty of power available because the country’s lakes are full, consumers of electricity will again be required to submit to restrictions on the amount of power they use. Last year restrictions were imposed because of a danger that lake levels would fall so far that the Electricity Department would be unable to meet the demand even using its thermal stations at full capacity. This year, with the Jakes satisfactorily full, restrictions are to be imposed so that the department will not use its oil-fired stations more than is necessary. The savings of SlB million — which the department estimates it can make if the consumption of power is curbed this year to the same extent as it was last year — are considerable The country’s balance of payments is still in such serious deficit that New Zealanders cannot avoid having to make some individual sacrifices in the coming months. If savings of overseas funds are not made by reducing power consumption they will have to be made in other ways which m'ay spread the burden less fairly or lead to serious economic disruption.

The country could possibly get through the winter without the imposition of restrictions or the excessive use of oil-fired stations. But to attempt to do this would involve considerable risk. If the lakes were seriously depleted this winter and precipitation through the year not enough to replenish them, theie could be serious power shortages in the winter of 1976. The Electricity Department has been warning consumers for some time that 1976 will be a critical y«ar because its plans to fill Lake Pukaki to its new higher level mean that output from Benmore will be reduced. In the long term — assuming that the price c f oil will never decline to its pre-1974 level — the Electricity Department is planning to satisfy New Zealand’s power requirements, once all feasible hvdro-electric is completed, as far as possible, by building thermal plants which use domestic fuels These fuels are limited: it is clearly desirable that consumers learn to get along with as little power as possible. After this year, the Government will no longer be constrained by its promise not to raise the price of bulk power for three years and it will then be able to use the price of electricity as an effective way of encouraging more frugal use of power. ,

This year it may be more difficult to persuade people to co-operate with schemes to save power when the object is merely to save overseas exchange and not to avert electricity shortages so serious that production is affected and total blackouts become unavoidable. Last vear, al) restrictions on the use of power were lifted at the end of July. When they decide how to achieve the desired savings this year, Fleetricitv Denartment and the supply authorities should consider imposing milder restrictions for a lono'or period If the same allocation system is to be tr«d. introducing longer allocation periods would aHow savings made during warmer periods to be carried over so that hardship during colder spells is kept to a minimum. Such steps would make it easier to en.li.st the co-operation of the public. Saving overseas funds and avoiding the risk of serious shortages in the winter of 1976 are both worthy goals. Consumers should co-operate willingly with whatever detailed plans are made to restrain power consumption, even at some personal inconvenience.