DELIVERY DELAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 75, 25 September 1941, Page 10

DELIVERY DELAY

HYDRO POWER PLANT

MINISTER'S SURVEY

NO EXTRAVAGANT USE

Again today emphasis was laid by speakers at the Dominion Power Beards' and Supply Authorities' Association Conference upon the necessity to conserve electric power and to cut out all extravagant use. Delays in delivery of plant are the greatest factor in the present problem. In welcoming the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Armstrong), the president, Mr. J. A. Nash, expressed the appreciation of all power boards of the interest and sympathetic attitude of the former Minister (Mr. Semple), the Controller of Electricity (Mr. F. T. M. Kissel), and officers of the Public Works Department. Mr.-Armstrong said 'that he had taken office as Minister of Public Works at a ( time when much that was needed must remain in abeyance because it would not be possible to obtain labour, material, and plant. But whatever other developments might remain in abeyance, electrical development must be pushed on to the. limit that was made possible by delivery of material and plant, as vital national work. Mr. Armstrong- gave details of delays in delivery of plant long on order, for Arapuni, Waikaremoana, and other developments, and of steps being taken by the Department to speed up installation on its arrival or to provide alternatives. Great assistance was possible from the storage of water at Taupo, to which end coal stations would have to be kept running, at heavy cost to the Department, but of the total power generated in the North Island; 88£ per cent, was produced In the. four main hydro stations. When the first additional 21,000 kilowatt generator at Waikaremoana could be completed—depending upon the arrival of remaining portions of the plant—a saving of £1000 a day would be made to the Department. The Department was doing everything that was possible; everything depended upon arrival of plant and upon the co-operation of every power user in cutting out extravagant use. TOTAL GENERATING CAPACITY. The present installed capacity in the North Island totalled 253,600 horsepower, and the capacity actually under construction was 229,000 h.p., a total, when the work could be completed, of 482,600 h.p. In the South Island the installed capacity was 138,600 h.p., and that under construction 78,900 h.p., a | total of 217,500 h.p. Further develop- | ments were under consideration by the Department. Possibly no country in the world, said Mr. Armstrong, had made such enormous advances in power development as had New Zealand. POSITION IN SOUTH ISLAND. Replying to an inquiry from the Waitaki Board, Mr. Kissel said that the likelihood of power shortage in the South Island next winter was remote, and that the hoped-for completion of the Highbank station by the following winter would safeguard the position for a considerable period.