Power worry fades

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 4

Power worry fades

PA Wellington Threatened power cuts have been averted again*—at least temporarily—by continuing increases in water flows into South Island hydro lakes. On Friday, October 8, South Island lake storage levels were falling rapidly, and power cuts were imminent, but rain last week-end —and continued higher rivers this week—have left the lakes 15 per cent full, according to the principal systems control engineer with the Electricity Department (Mr W. A. Lowrie).

The warmer weather, and resulting power savings, had meant no further decline in storage, he said, and provided storage levels did not decline there should be no need for restrictions. However, the department was continuing to rely heavily on the oil-fired plant at New Plymouth and Marsden Point. More than SIM worth of oil had been used weekly since August. Mr Lowrie said one of the boilers at the New Plymouth

power station had bfeen fired by gas for the last two or three days. Attendants lifted a ban on firing the boiler with gas because of the critical power supply situation. There had been a slight decline in storage levels in the North Island hydro lakes, Taupo was 57 per cent full, and Waikaremoana 66 per cent full. However, for this time of the year the storage levels in the two lakes were quite good, he said.