POWER GENERATING PLANTS

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 268, 10 August 1945, Page 9

POWER GENERATING PLANTS

Reasons For Closing

The lifting even temporarily of the electricity restrictions would make it impossible to conserve water and fuel sufficiently to meet the demand next autumn and winter, said tlie Minister of Works, .Mr. Semple, yesterday, when be explained the reasons for the closing down of Ute small auxiliary generating sets in the North Island. Tlie Alinister said that these sets would not operate further this season unless exceptional conditions arose. He had noticed criticism recently of tlie action in closing them down, but that criticism was ill-informed. The small auxiliary sets, which totalled only a few thousand kilowatts, could not stand up to continuous running over a long period, and actually were now breaking down all over (he country. "Requests have been received from numerous local authorities owning the small sets for permission to close them down for overhaul,;’ continued die Minister. “If it so happens dial the summer is dry we may have no option but to put them back into operation, but so long as this does notxhappen, the next, few months will be required to make overhauls before extensive running once again becomes necessary next autumn.” The output, of the main steam stations was tending to fall, lint with the small auxiliary sets shut down the coa) and oil fuel saved would be used lit I tie Kings Wharf, Auckland, and the Evans Buy stations.

Electricity restrictions at. present, in force could not be lifted, said the Minister.