CITY LIGHTING

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 61, 9 September 1921, Page 10

CITY LIGHTING

LOWER CREDIT BALANCE

MANY MORE CONSUMERS.

In th-e annual report of the general manager (Mr. W. H. Morton) on the city electric lighting department, the accounts are summarised as follow, the second column showing the comparison with the prevkms year :— REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE. 1920-21. £ £ Revenue 112,318 8,325 Inc. Working expenses... 91,396 28,323 Inc. Capital charges ... 17,326 331 Inc. Credit balance to appropriation account 3,596 20,329 Dec. APPROPRIATION ACCOUNT. £ Credit balance from revenue account ... 3596 Special expenditure . 515 ■ Net credit balance for, year ... £3081 . The report states :— "The amount to the credit of the Renewal Fund Account at 31st March, 1921, was £13,639. Of this amount £10,169 was on fixed deposit at the Union Bank of Australia-, Ltd., and the balance, £3471, represents the year'sappropriation from revenue payable to the commissioners within the month of April, 1921. > ','The amount to the credit of the Reserve Fund Account at 31st March, 1921, was £13,639. Of this amount £10,169 was on fixed deposit at the Union Bank of Australia, Ltd., and the balance, £3471, represents the year's appropriation from revenue payable into the fund within the month; of April, 1921. "The Accident Fund Account is now in credit to the extent of £2804, of which amount £1000 is invested in war loan certificates, and the balance, £1804, was in cash at the bank on 31st March, 1921. "The private lighting and public lighting sinking funds totalled £58,655 at 31st March, 1921. Of this amount, £54,----642 is invested, and the balance, £4013, was in the hands of the commissioners at 31st March, 1921. "Capital Account.—The expenditure on, new works during the yeai, less amount written off preliminary expenses, amounted to £10,673, bringing the total capital expenditure up to £235,090, which has been built up out of the following funds : t £ L«uis • 176,900 Contributions' from depreciation „ fund. 38,353 Contributions from revenue 19,837 £235,090 EXTENSION OF MAINS! "During the year it was found necessary to run, a new main from the powerhouse to Pirie-street, and extensions have been made to the existing main, amounting to seven miles. The total length of the hfgh tension mains is now 276 miles. In the past year about ten miles of high tension mains have been renewed. POWER PLANT. "The erection of the, new 1000 h.p. boiler was completed before th« close of the year under review, ,and work on the extension to the boiler house was being pushed forward in order that the new unit would be available for the midwinter loading. The motor-driven centrifugal pump ordered some time ago for *lie purpose of increasing the supply of condensing water to ths main- turbine units came to hand during' the year, and is now in service. The alterations to the Curtis turbine, including the assembling of the-hydraulic governor gear, ■were well in hand at 31st March last, and it is' anticipated that this machine •will shortly be available for running in parallel with the larger unit®. NEARLY 20,000 CONSUMERS. "The total number of consumers at 31st March, 1921, was 19,714, an increase of 1722 during the year, as follows :— 1920-21.1919-20. ■Lighting oonsumers .... 12,242 11,351 Heating consumers ..... 7,053 6,237 Power consumers ......... 419 404 Total 19,714 17.992 "The following table shows the yearly expansion during the last thirteen comiplete years :—

"From the above figures it will be seen that the number of new connections granted was the second highest on record. At the present time there are about 600 applications waiting, and the demand for new connections is still being maintained. The, question of further loading the etation until new, machinery is available mil require serious consideration this year : , as a derangement to any of the existing machines would result in the supply beint; completely cut oft-from a large area of the city dxiring the time the machine was out of service," . .

Total Consumers. 1908-9 4,136 1909-10 ....... 4,510 1910-ir 5,368 1911-12 6,613 1912-13 7,884 1913-14 9,057 1914-15 10,453 1915-16 12,130 1916-17 13,819 1917-18 ...... 15,640 1918-19 16,520 1919-20 ...... 17,992 1920-21 : 19,714 . Yearly Increase. 453 374 853 : 1,245 1,279 1.173 1.396 1,677 1,639 1,821 880 1,472 1,722