ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN HUTT VALLEY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 122, 18 February 1944, Page 4

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN HUTT VALLEY

Position Said To Grow More Desperate Daily BOARD’S ANXIETIES

“The weekly increase exceeds your allocation. Please take immediate steps to reduce consumption.” ran a letter from the Electricity Controller to the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board, read by the secretary-manager at the board s meeting yesterday. A member interjected : “The same old letter. “That may be so.” said the secretarymanager, Mr. E. F. Hollands, “but 1 must admit I am at a loss to know what to do or where it is all going to end. In the last 7J months there has<“beeii an overall increase in demand of 3530 kilowatts. -This includes not only essential industries, but 220 Government houses amounting to 25’1’0 kilowatts. We are compelled by law to meet these demands. On top of this there is another demand from certain essential industries for li4 horse-power and a possible 400 horsepower later on. Goodness knows what is going to happen. The position grows more desperate every day.” “I am concerned about the effect on our old customers of these instructions from the Electricity Controller,” said Mr. J. W. Andrews. “The general manager is compelled to supply this demand by one lot of regulations and we are asked by another lot to reduce consumption. What is it to be? Does this board have to conform to instructions from the controller or is the controller going to increase allocations?. I also notice the controller suggests that new consumers put in their own private power producers. I ’contend the board should put in their own so as to meet the demand as cheaply as bulk production can meet it.” “It would seem that the board will have to face the fact that some of its load will have to be disconnected,” said Mr. J. B. Yaldwyn. "Who is to be cut off? Perhaps the manager can tell us what arrangements can be made.” “A. telegram to disconnect part of our load may come at any moment,” ' said Mr. Hollands. “We have seven main feeders, but none of them carries one load special to any particular type of consumer. ’lf we cut out any feeder such vital things as sewerage, essential war work, pumping, and cooking will be affected. Rewiring is out of the question. There is no solution except by individual disconnection.”

A voice: What about starting with M.P.’s and M.L.C.’s? The chairman. Mr. A. Walker, said that there appeared to be no alternatives. “You all know the state of the coal supplies,” he added. “Efforts to cook by kerosene are now out of the question because no wicks are available. Strikes and hold-ups are delaying the discharge of ships with what few supplies there are.” It was decided to discuss the matter with the Controller of Electricity. Meanwhile the power board does not know whether to rejoice or to bemoan the fact, that recently- it connected up to its 18,OOOth consumer.