THE BEST SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 137, 10 June 1920, Page 2

THE BEST SCHEME

POWER SUPPLY FOR WELLINGTON

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —The new power scheme lias been adopted by the council, yet nothing seems to be done yet, except for some misleading criticism. If the Council want further advice, let them be quick about it; and if the suggested consulttants are not available, get a comprehensive report from an Australian engineer. However, aoine recent statements in the local press require ventilating. The main point seems to be the critical report put in' by the lighting engineer. The.critical estimate is, I submit," Jumped together to hide the estimated costs and_ works proposed; but, on the face of it, it appears that quite a large amount of _plant and extensions necessary are omitted, which are included in Mr. Morton's report. Also the estimates are "cut to the bone"; whereas the adopted estimates appear to be on the liberal side,_ and include a large amount of work outside the power station itself. From the published reports, only £261,000 is required for the new station—the remainder being for converting plant, etc., required to take power from Mangahao. It should also be noted that after allowing for the value of the present sites, etc., the values of the schemes are the same, so there is no capital saving in Harris-street, and it is admitted that it will not be as efficient to run. It is a mis-statement, in face of the published figures, to say that the new station will cost about half-a-million. The time question has been raised again, but it is obvious that the question of site cannot affect the delivery of plant, so there can be no difference on that score. In connection with the Mangahao supply, it should be noted that the Government have omitted •> the- Wairarapa. and all places north of Feilding from the supply, and as well have allocated the power at the turbines—not at the substations, which will be about 10 per cent, less. Wellington is promised 9000 k.w. —less 10 per cent, is 8100 k.w.. and in a dry summer about half that, owing to ono 4500 k.w. being shut down, vide Mr. Parry's report. The present city load is. about 6500 k.w., with at least 1500 k.w. waiting for supply, besides the demand'for the next four or five years, which will easily make the load exceed the supply from Mangahao. , Ihe trams alone will want 1500 k.w: in the next year or two, when there are sufficient cars running to carry the public, according to the Government regulations, and to meet new extensions. There must be several hundred houses or offices waiting for radiators or cooking appliances. Add to- this the electric power load, which in two years could easily reach 1000 k.w., and more to follow, then we shall soon have a demand over our hydro supply, and be demanding an efficient station as proposed at Evans Bay. It should be noted that only this week the Government Engineer admitted that applications had been received for more power than could be supplied from Lake Coleridge when the present plant was doubled, which will take at least two years to do, and this excluded 1000-h.p. required for the Lyttelton tunnel. It has been stated that the Harris-street station can be extended, without raising a loan, from accumulated .profits. If this is so, i& not the same amount available to reduce the loan required for Evans Bay ? However, the Lighting Engineer, in his estimates, omits ai considerable amount 'of plant necessary foi" extension purposes, and avoids the fact that the whole of the electrical equipment at present in Harris-street will have to be scrapped, as well as all distribution transformers, meters, A.C motors, and a reorganisation made of the whole distribution, system. This will more than absorb all the surplus profits without providing any new station plant, /and if a. drastic change is not' 1 made in the.present methods, it will be necessary to run some steam plant for the 80 cycle system after the hydro is available. It should be noted that a- proper steam station, does not want hard' coal—only alack, which is of no use for household or railway .purposes. For the electric supply of Melbourne and district a new steam station is being put down ICO miles distant, to generate 50,000 k.w. from coal, the coal having a heat value of only about half that of Westport coal. A hydro scheme of 35,000 k.w. was rejected, as being more costly than generating from coal. The Melbourne output for 1914 was fourteen million units, and in 1919 was thirty-five million units, an increase of 150 per cent in five years. With the new power station adopted by the city, it will be in a strong position to get the best terms possible from the Government for its bulk supply, and the more efficient the new plant is, the better terms will be possible. The Government have made.a great many promises recently—on paper— and while hydro power is a gpod thing when you can get it, it is far better to have ai sufficient steam plant to go on with. It is ridiculous to talk of having power here from Waikaremoana in four years, and with a 260 mile 110,000 voX transmission line through difficult country in places; lio engineer would reckon on a regular supply until proved by facts. If •Mangahao is supplying the, city, with a regular service in five years, and the next scheme in eight years, the Government will have done the miracle of reforming itself. Meanwhile the city must not be idle, and put up with the present power shortage, nor drive away any more new industries for the same reason. In short, all ratepayers and voters should note :

(1) Evans Bay is ultimately, as chsap as Harris-street. (2) It is a more economical scheme. (3) It releases the city from the smoke nuisance.

(4) It releases a valuable site for the 1 benefit of the city. (5) It provides for the immediate requirements, and has ample room for expansion, should such be found necessary. (6) It places^the city in a better position when making terms for the Government power.

(7) It is the only progressive policy, and will provide sufficient power for all business acd private purposes.—l am, etc., . ■■

ENGINEER

9th June.