Hospitals opt for electricity

Press, 17 July 1980, Page 4

Hospitals opt for electricity

Electricity has been chosen to replace gas in institutions -run by the North Canterbury Hospital Board. The closing of the Christchurch Gas Company in 1982 has forced the board to consider various alternatives which included L.P.G., oil, electricity, and coal-fired units.

Costs of the various types of heating were presented to meetings of the board’s works committee and finance committee this week. These showed that at present $2OOO a day. or $734,000 a year, is spent on gas supplies to Princess Margaret Hospital. By converting to electricity the

board will pay about $588,000 a year. Concern about the need to reduce pollution has been given as one of the main reasons for not using coalfired units to heat such big energy users as Princess Margaret Hospital and Coronation Hospital. An investigation of the cost of heating for Christchurch Women’s Hospital based on present fuel rates showed that L.P.G. would cost $484,000 a year; electricity, $196,000; gas, $352,000; coal, $192,000; and oil, $250,000. The cost of converting the hospital to electricity will be $209,000.