ELECTRICITY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 149, 20 December 1907, Page 3

ELECTRICITY.

EXTENSION OF CITY WORKS. TENDERS TO BE CALLED SHORTLY The rapid growth of Wellington in population and area has caused as^ groat an increise in tho demand for electricity for lighting purposes as it has in the amount of electric traction power required for the continually spreading tramway systsm. Extensive additions to ha\o been, completed -nithiu the last month or so — particulars of which havo already appeared in Tho Evening Post — a*hcl"the present and prospective calls of the tramways, and of private consumers for* po^cr supply are now wall pro\ided '{or. ' This year's purchase" by the City Council of the Electrical Syndicate's illuminant supply business, however, provided a fresh sphere of expa.nsion, and in the last six months iho increased demand for electric light has been so great that the capacity of the works has been taxed to its utmost, and it h3s been found necessaiy to instal a Babcock boiler of the largest size, having an area of 7740 square feet of heating surface. The premises in Mer-cer-street that were acouired from tho Electrical Syndicate could aot accommodate this boiler in addition to the existing plant, and it is now being erected at a spot in rear of the present structure, n waiting erection of extensive additions which were finally approved this week by the committee of the City Council •■Which has oversight of these matters. Plans and specifications for the new buildings were drawn up by the city electrical engineer (Mr. Stuart Richardson) 'n collaboration with Mr. Peter M'Coll (power-houso engineer),' and ,*lr. H. Smith (the official draughtsman). The final work on the specifications was completed last night, and. it Is likely that tenders for erecting tne new building will be called for 'at an early date. The new building has been so' designed that it may bo added to in the future without disturbing its symmetry, and the same aspect has been considered in respect of the interior arrangements, bo that when additional boilers and generating units become- necessary it will be easy to instil them, in a way that will make- an aisle,- -and leave a straight line between them that will enable the workmen to attend to them with facility and convenience. The- building to bs now erected will run at side and rear of the existing premises, and the latter' will have the level of their somewhat squat roof raised to the height of the roof of the new- engine room (52 feet from the kerb level).. Tho frontage of me new building will be >n Mercer street , and as occasion may demand from time to lime it can be carried back to Harrisstreet, as the land in .that vicinity be-" longs to the corporation. There is no intention to disturb tho existing station; in fact everything in it will remain -unaltered. A number of improvements have been introduced here, and the dense volumes of black -smoke which once disfigured business premises in the vicinity hay been done away with by the introduction (some time ago) of chain-grate stokers, which ensure the perfection of economy, and cleanliness in coal consumption. Jn addition 1,0 tho accommodation to he erected for the new Babcock boiler now in course of installation, provision is made" in the plans for space to hold two other boilers of similar construction, though it is, not 'intended to order them -at present. These will give an Aggregate heating surface of over 22,000 squaie , feet. The building; may be enlarged . further:— trilhout difficulty of any kind— ' as occasion may lequiro." In its form .is now contemplated,' "it will have 98ft frontage by a. depth of 120 ft, and a height of 52ft. It will bs of brick, with the front finished in pressed brick. The roof will' be of &teel, fitted with the Litest, glazing, and the 'Mercer-street iiontage will have window space .aggregating 550 ft of lighting surface. There will be :miple room in this aica for the new Babcock boiler and an extra turbo unit, 01 1500 kilowats, that is also to be installed forthwith to meet the existing demands for ligTit. The new boiler has the 'latest chain grate stoker*, which' automatically feed tho coal to the furnaces in legular and 3inall quantities, patting it in below the flame surface, and thus ensuring complete combustion of the coal gases as they rise. The plans and specifications have been llrawn up with a view to economy, as \~q]\ as effectiveness, and 1 though adequate provision for the future is contemplated and provided for,, the work to be immediately carried out, it is claimed, is necessary to ensure. sufficiency of building and gdvantageous .working df the plant. Amongst the provisions for the future tvhich are a part of the present scheme is -apace accommodation', in the engineroom, for a travelling, traversing, and lifting crane of 40ft span, such as is now installed at the tramway powerhouse -in Victoria-street. Another provision for. the future is a huge coal bunker with a storage capacity ot 1400 tons. j