CASING BURSTS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 135, 4 March 1941, Page 8

CASING BURSTS

Lake Coleridge Power Station Flooded OPERATIONS STOPPED

Partial Resumption To Be Made Today

(By Telegraph—Press Association.'

CHRISTCHURCH, March 3

The casing of one of the big generating units at the Lake Coleridge power-station burst this morning, flooding the adjacent machinery and switchgear and putting the whole station out of operation. Christchurch was without power for 25 minutes till the Waitaki supply became available but, according to the authorities, prompt response by the city to an urgent demand for conservation of power saved seriou' dislocation. ■ It was stated this evening by the electrical engineer to the Public Works Department in Christchurch, Mr. R. G. Mac Gibbon, that it'was expected that the Lake Qpleridge station would be able to resume the generating of some of the load for the city by tomorrow juorning, but he emphasized that there was still need for consumers in Christchurch to economize as much as possible in the use of power. Mr. Mac Gibbon, /.leaking from Lake Coleridge, said the position caused by the breakdown could have been much worse. He said that it was difficult to realize the extent of interference caused by the water whjch, released from the broken casing of one of the. huge turbines, spouted out over the main ball of the station in which the generating units are situated, and flooded everything in reach. Even the basements were flooded, as it had been impossible to turn off the head of water rushing into the damaged turbine for at least five minutes. Nobody Injured. When the steel easing burst and flew across the floor of the generating house no one was injured. Mr. Mac Gibbon was in Dunedin at the time and took an aeroplane immediately for the north. In the meantime the assistant-district electrical engineer, Mr. L. S. Payne, issued an appeal to consumers to conserve power as much as possible. This was followed by a broadcast appeal and an appeal by the general manager of the municipal electricity department, Mr. E. Hitchcock. The latter stated this evening that the response to the appeals made had had measurable effect. in relieving the shortage and had prevented much more drastic steps being taken to’ conserve, supplies for more essential services.

The‘ turbine which was damaged through the casing breaking away was one of the first two units installed at Lake Coleridge. Mr. Mac Gibbon said this evening that it had given splendid service; running under heavy over-load-ing during a shortage of generating capacity in the early days of the scheme. It was the old No. 5 unit of 1500 kilowatts.

Water from the turbine shot across to the switchboard gear, damaging the instruments, and others of the generating units all had had to be dried out. A special band of eight or nine men from the Addington station had gone up to Lake Coleridge to assist in the work. - Restoring Production. "We will be able to give power when it is wanted tomorrow morning,” Mr. Mac Gibbon said. “The shortage will be eased considerably then. We will have two units producing, each generating 7500 kilowatts, to take the peak load tomorrow. That will help but I would again like to emphasize that it will be a few’ days before we are able to give a normal supply and that it will still be necessary to conserve power.” Power went off in the city at 8.50 a.m. Tramcars came to a stop, lights went out, electric cookers failed temporarily and morning broadcasts were interrupted. The change-over was made as quickly as possible and brought supply back to the city at 9.15 a.m., when the Waitaki supply system was connected up. In the meantime the stand-by plant maintained by the Christchurch Tramway Board and the Christchurch City Council gas producer plant used for the city’s water pumping were got into operation. The tramways operated on a restricted time-table for part of the morning but the service was soon back to ilormal and there was very little disruption. The stand-by plant helped materially in maintaining the service. Trams running partly on Waitaki power and partly on the board’s own power.

The Lake Coleridge hydro-electric scheme, begun in 1911, was the first of the Dominion’s major schemes. Mangahsto followed in 1922, and the Waikaremoana and Arapuni systems three years later. Tbi. first section of the Lake Coleridge scheme was completed in 1915, with an output of 5300 kilowatts. This was extended to 26,495 kilowatts in 1926, ami to 40,640 kilowatts in 1930, this final figure being the maximum output '‘or which the station was designed. The Waitaki scheme was begun in 1934, .being designed to connect with the Lake Coleridge scheme, the two being run together as the major supply for the ■South Island. Waitaki’s output is at present about 50,000 kilowatts, mid is ultimately to be 75,000. Trouble in one of the tunnels in the Lake Coleridge scheme occurred between two and three years ago, leakage necessitating the making of a concrete lining. With the Lake Coleridge scheme out of commission, the Waitaki scheme will be called upon to provide the current required by the greater part of the South Island, but the demand at peak periods tWli be beyond the plant’s capacity even with the assistance of the seternl minor .schemes recently linked up with it as supplementary supplies. I'he cost of tl'e head-works and station nt Lake Coleridge was in the vicinity of £95(1.000.

TAKING UP THE LOAD

Stations In Southland

ißy Telegraph—Press Association.! INVERCARGILL. March 3.

To assist in meeting the shortage pf power resulting from the Lake Coleridge station being out of action, the Monowai hydro-electric power station and lite Invercargill city steam plant were brought into full operation this morning. The Monowai plant had been operating at low capacity to keep the station synchronized vßtb the Waitaki station, but power generation was quickly brought up as the work of bringing the steam plant into operation was begun immediately word was received of the breakdown at <Lake Coleridge and within about an hour power was available from this source. The rush of water in the channel from Lake Monowai to tlie power station brought down a considerable quantity of marine weed, which is at its maximum growth at this time of the year. Men were stationed at the screens to deal witli the weed and there was no interruption in generation.

As occurred last week when contact with Waitaki was lost, Monowai was called on to bear the full load. South-

laud will be able to contribute to a material extent in Qte supply of power during the present emergency The Monowai and city plants have a capacity of more than 7500 kilowatts and it will be possible to divert to Canterbury power normally supplied to Southland from Waitaki.