WELLINGTON SITS UP

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 112, 13 May 1937, Page 11

WELLINGTON SITS UP

POWER DEMAND

CLIMBS

RADIO AND RADIATORS

Wellington sat up late last night, listening to radio, and the plain proof of that is given in the charts filled in by the automatic pens of the recording instruments in the city sub-stations. The early evening load was h£avy, but it was not possible to make any useful comparison with, the demand of any other holiday,evening or a Friday night because the shop-lighting load was missing. A rough estimate places the additional demand for illuminations in city streets and on public and private buildings at about 1000 kilowatts.

It was later that the extraordinary demand began. Between half-past eleven and midnight, the usual load at this time of the year is about 6500 kilowatts, but at that time last night .(with most of the illuminations switched off) the load was 10,500 k.w., the additional 4000 k.w. being accounted for by power used in radio sets, radiators alongside them, and, except in the ultra-senti-mental' families, room lights. By halfpast twelve quite a 'few listeners had gone to bed, but at 1 o'clock the demand was still 2000 k.w. above normal, though after that the recording pen steadily drew back across the charts to normal.

Tram traffic was exceptionally heavy all day long, and the revenue for the day was several hundreds of pounds higher than that of an average public holiday. It is proposed to maintain the street illuminations till about tomorrow week, and presumably many of the private displays will be kept in place for some days yet.