POWER SUPPLY

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 28, 2 August 1921, Page 11

POWER SUPPLY

CITY'S LACK OF POLICY

V MR. MITCHELL RENEWS THE

ATTACK

COSTS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM.

In his report to the Central Progress League, the secretary; Mr. G. Mitchell, M.P., again expresses concern over the failure of Wellington to prepare to make use of the Mangahao power supply. "With all due deference to those responsible," he writes, "I reiterate that there is no sign of a policy to change over to receive the new power. To take a vote of the ratepayers does not constitute a policy. It is admitted that the work of preparing will take a long time, and if we are to be ready by December, 1923, and uso all the power allocated to us, wo must start preparing now, and must also encourage the people to use the current for light, power, and heating. Where is the policy that people may kn?w what to provide for? Is the time not opportune for the council to appoint an electrical engineer, and make him responsible to furnish the details of such policy direct to the council?" COST OF STEAM SUPPLY. The following table shows the cost of manufacturing an average of about 6300 kilowatts of power in Wellington jjturing the-last four years to run the trams, piwer, and light:—

Some of this power-house cost, _remarks Mr. Mitchell, will continue after the hydro-electric power is here, but the cost of coal and most of the other charges will be saved when the present coal plant ceases to run. The same amount (6300 kilowatts) of power at the present Government scheduled rates from Mangahao would cost £50,800 per annum, or a total''for four years of £203,200, plus the interest on the capital cost of the change-over. But even with all these charges added, hydro-electric power will mean a saving in the neighbourhood of £90,000 on last year's cost. With increased coal freights there is little hope of cheaper cost in the future. The tramway, figures (included in the above) arc themselves interesting. The amount of power generated is approximately an average of 3200 kilowatts.

The present Government* scheduled rate for 3200 kilowatts of hydro-electric power is £26,000 per annunv With £14,000 added as interest on the cost of changing over and other expenses, making an annual charge erf £40,000, change would mean an approximate sav;ng of £54,000 ,on last year's tramway lower cost alone, besides the great inj'reftse in efficiency to be expected in the tramway service when afi abundance of power is available. , These figures should indicate how urgent it was that we should be ready for Mangahao power, and how doubly urgent it was that the money needed by tho City Council for the work of preparation should be procured at once. Mr. Mitchell adds a note of the fact that the Government scheduled price for hydro-clcctric power is subject to alteration, and may not be the same price when Mangahao is available, but the present price is the only one available for comparison. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—We have read with interest your article in. The Post in connection with electric power from Mangahao. The citizens of Wellington have to foot the bill [or thoir electrical supply, and it is only fair that tho city authorities should take tho people into their confidence and supply them with at least a clear outline of their proposals /and the main reasons for_ the same. It is quite a shock to Die citizens to be told that thoir electric plant is practically a scrap heap, and before it is discarded thoy should certainly know what advantages are to bo gained from'a new system, and should also be given some guarantee that the now system will not also be quite out of date in a few years' time. It is, of course, not absolutely necessary to make the change now .on account of the Mangahao supply, as the current from Mangahao' can be converted to suit our present ■ system, and, soeing that about half will havo to be converted in any case tb operate tramways ori directcurrent,. the objection to converting the other half should ba shown to be quite outweighed by the advantages to be gained by a new system.—We are, etc.,

BEKRE AND SEDDON.

29th July

Cost of Coal. £ 1918 .... 47,967 L 919 .... 55,699 L 920 ..... 74,840 :921 ....• 108,183 Total £186,689 Cost of Generating. £ 22,019 25,510 32,066 56,918 £136,513 Total Cost. £ 69,986 81.209 106;906 165,101 £423,202

uoai cost it. :918 L 919 1920 1921 £ . . . 28,237 32,329 . . 42,722 60,221 £ 41,552 47,093 63,314 94,375 £163.509 £245,834