CITY POWER STATION

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 126, 28 May 1920, Page 7

CITY POWER STATION

TO BE ERECTED AT' EVANS BAY

PROPOSALS ADOPTED

IMMEDIATE ACTION ADVISED,

The City Council last night adopted the proposals of the City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) regarding the future extension of the city electrical power stations for tramway and lighting purposes. The proposals provide for the removal of the power stations to Evans Bay.

The City Engineer stated that from an engineering point of view there was no great difficulty presented in the accommodation 'of additional plant ■at the Harris-street .station. But to do ko would result in there being no spaco available for storage of a sufficient quantity of coal in reserve, and this would require that a depot be obtained in a convenient position near the station. It was necessary that the combined station should be considered as Common ■to both tramways ami lighting services. Apart from the hydro-electric supply a combined station was an absolute necessity, ami thi*. applied equally after the hydro-ele.ctric supply was available. Immediate step?, to secure additional machinery were urgently necessary, and should be given effect to at once, otherwise H most serious position would be created. A sufficient pisint .vlifnild also b« .immediately available so that tlu> benefit of the hydro-electric supply could be availed of immediately the Government was ready. Provision was made for this in the new proposals. ' . There were probably four sites that could be considered ; and after pointing out that Kaiwarra was unsuitable owing ,to the, necessary land being unobtainable under satisfactory conditions, and facilities for handling fuel being unavailable, Mr.- Morton advance? reasons for the adoption of the Evans Bny. site. The latter provided good foundations; it could be obtained at once, the first right <jf the refusal of the land having been granted the council; and sufficient land would be available for housing the stuff engaged at the station. ,- While the statement of cost (given below) showeH the estimated cost of installing the plant, etc., it did not take into consideration the amount of the ultimate saving effected by reason of the one station, supplying the-whole of. the power required until an additional supply was obtained from the Government. The proposed new machinery .would conform to the system being adopted by the Government.

In comparing coat and land values, the ultimate amoupt of capital expenditure required for a uew. power-station at jKviius- Bay would he seen to be comparatively slight when placed alongside of the expense of equipping ■ the Harrisstreet- station. It was true that a fairly large sum of money, over £20,000, would be required to- extend the high tension cables through, the city to-Evans Bay. In view, • however,, of the- fact that this cable was carried through practically the entire city, it was available for junctionins with the necessary cables which would require to be laid to the various sub-stations throughout the city when the distribution of electric power for lighting and other household purposes was undertaken, and the cost thereof would, as a- result, bo considerably lessened, ■ The cost of the main cable, was allowed for in the estimates submitted.

In conclusion the City-Engineer-stress- ' ed the urgent necessity for providing sufficient electrical energy to meet both public and private requirements of this city ; until such time- as a supply of power from the Misngahno scheme wac available, and- that, in addition to such station being used to take the peak load re"quired in connection with both tramways and Jiantinsf. it must be considered a prudent provision against failure of the Mangnliap system through short-age of water. ' ■ COMPARATIVE ESTIMATES.' Mr. Morton submitted a 'comparative statement of the cost of the two schemes as follows : —

■The net value of iiew plant, buildings, and sites, after allowing for value of sites released and .the disposal ,of old plant, is set'as follows :—Harris-street, £254,000; 'Evans Bay, £255,000. DETAILS OF SCHEME. The City Engineer submits lengthy details of the two schemes, but space permits of only a brief reference to these. The Harris-street estimates show one 3COO k.-.v. and one 1500 k.w. set turbine generators transformers, to cost £137,000, and building and contingencies £38,000; converting plant at Harris'Stfeet, £25,----500; a 1000 k.w. rotary converter, etc., at Crawford-road sub-station, a 500 k.w. of transformers and switch goar, building and cable £29,000. This would comprise stage one, to cost £235,000, and would be carried out at once. Stage two, to bo ready for running shortly befo* the hydro supply was ready to he connected, would consist of necessary installations »t Harris-street; and removers from Jervois-quay, involving an expense of £65,000.

The Evans Bay.scheme also is set out in two stages. Stage one would be —one 3000 k.w. and one 1500 k.w. turbo-gen-erators, transferrers, switch gear, etc., four marine-type boilers, economisers, etc., £175,000, and buildings and contingencies £45,000; converting plant at ■Evans Bay, £18,000; converting plant a.t Jervois-quay, and new sub-statiou. buildings and underground mains to Evans Bay £67,000; total £306,000. Stage 117 would be : High-tension mains, etc., to connect with Government scheme, £25,----000, two 1000 k.w. rotary converters, transformers, etc., £17,000, and cost of removal of existing plants to Evans Bay station •£32,000—a total of £75,000. The first stage of this scheme would be carried out at once, the second,to be ready for running shortly after the installation of the hydro-electric scheme. Under- the Evans Bay scheme the unimproved value of the land retained 1 (new site for station £5000, and value of part tramway site for sub-station £20,000) would be £25,000.' The value of tramway sites released would be £71,----0 disposal value 'of Harris-street plant and buildings not required £40,----000; and tramway plant and buildings not required £40,000; making a, total value of land, buildings, and plant disposed ef or released of £151,000. The final capacity of the plant would' be 9250 k.w. MR. G. LAUCHLAK'S SCHEME, Mr. Georgs Lauchlan, assistant •ms-ri--ager and electrical engineer, also submitted a report in -which lie diffez-^d on several detail? with M:-'. Mortor. He held that there Tjcrc no wigineerinq; ■ (liincnUicn in the way o! HttrriN-fitrent. itrij thai ijiwi^icu jaukl be mude there

for the storage of at leatt'MOO tons of coi-U. The Mangahab scheme should be ready-in four years,'-and meanwhile all tliati was necessary was to provide for the necessary increase in power during that period. Another 1500 lew. would do that, but he would propose to install 3000 k.w. in two equal units. He also disagreed with land value assessments, and showed. in this respect that it would cost the city £1515 per annum more for Evans "Bay tinder the proposals than for the Harris-street site. OUicr points of difference were a-lso set out. ' Mr. Lauchlan recommended that the Harris-street scheme be carried out, the estimated cost of which, be stated, ■ was £186,500, and that of the Crawfordroad sub-station £19,000. This would give a plant' of' 7000 k.w. when the hydro scheme came in. 'BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL. When the scheme Was before the City Council lnet night Councillor Bennett moved : "That in view the difference of opinion between our experts, further expert advice be obtained to hear all the evidence and advise the council as to the- best course to adopt in relation to the various proposals that have been placed .before this council." This was seconded'-by Councillor Shoreland, and without -any discussion was put to the meeting and lost by 10 votes to 7.

( .. HarrisNew generating street.: plant and build- £" ■ ings f. 175,000 Alterations and removal of old plant 31,500 Converting plant at power station 39,500 Converting plant at .swb-statioii ....:. 29.000. Cost. of freehold sito — High tension mains to connect Government supply 25,000 • Total expenditure £300,000 Evans May. £ 220,000 46,000 19,000 71,000 5.000 25,000 386,000