Cost of cable fault high

Press, 19 February 1983, Page 11

Cost of cable fault high

PA Wellington Repairs to the inter-island electricity cables are indirectly costing millions of dollars because the North Island is unable fully to use hydro-power from the south. Costly thermal electricity generation has been used to fill the supply gap. While South Island lake storage hovers just below 100 per cent full. North Island storage has fallen to 13 per cent. Lake Waikaremoana was reported by the Ministry of Energy's Electricity Division to be 18cm below minimum control level, even with release being limited to what was essential to meet North Island electricity demand. The cost of electricity generated by thermal stations last week was estimated at more than $2.4 million com-

pared with about $2 million the previous week. These costs would not have been so high if the North Island was able to draw maximum power from the Cook Strait cables. The division said that significant oil-fired generation was necessary to meet the North Island demand. The main cable repair work being done from Wellington was making steady progress said the project manager. Mr Dennis Woolmer. Apart from some problems with wind during a delicate phase of the job. the weather has been good this week, and the faulty cable, which has a gas leak, has now been landed. Mr Woolmer said that cable system should be recommissioned within 14 to 17 days.