POWER DISRUPTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 146, 23 June 1938, Page 26

POWER DISRUPTION

CITY OF CHRISTCHURCH

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) *~ CHRISTCHURCH, June 22. The power supply from the Lake Coleridge hydro-electric station ceased this afternoon at 2.35, when a fault developed in the main switch gear! The load, then at its peak, was switched on to the Waitaki station which, with generators of only 15,000 kilowatts, was unable to cope fully with the demand. Christchurch was in short supply until 6.15 p.m., by which time the Lake Coleridge station had been brought partly into operation. At 4.3 p.m. it was developing 900 kilowatts. The city trams were delayed for a few minutes only. A long transport delay occurred when the 2.10 p.m. train from Christchurch to Lyttelton was stranded near Woolston. The running was taken up by a steam locomotive which left Christchurch at 3 o'clock and pushed the stranded train through to Lyttelton. The service was maintained with steam locomotives until 6 30, when the electric trains resumed their running. The time-table, however, was disorganised. The breakdown of the power supply seriously affected the picture theatres with afternoon sessions. I