AUSTRALIAN DUST
EFFECT IN DOMINION
POWER SYSTEM TAXED
"The overcast conditions experienced last week in various parts of the North Island from the dust storms across the Tasman caused by the recent drought and fires in Australia had serious and unexpected repercussions on the electric supply system," said the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer for the Minister of Supply and Munitions yesterday. "The sudden rise in load which commenced early in the afternoon created an increase of nearly 40,000 kilowatts at the peak hour. "The steam stations had to be run to capacity . with a consequent drain o,n coal and oil stocks, and various other steps had to be- taken to keep the load within the capacity .of the generating units in operation. These measures might well have been very serious had ft been necessary to carry them on for any length of time." Mr. Nordmeyer said that during the summer months opportunity was taken of the normal reduced demand for power to overhaul the main plants at the hydro generating stations. Anysudden increase in demand for power was taken up by the steam stations, and if the demand was maintained the overhaul of the hydro generating units would become impossible. "The overhaul and maintenance work on the hydro units must be done, however," said My. Nordmeyer, •otherwise the risk of complete breakdown due to running the hydro plants next winter continuously at full capacity and frequently at overload conI ditions would become very great. "I do, therefore, ask all consumers m the North Island to continue to economise as much as possible in the use of electricity so that the work of overhaul may continue, and to avoid stocks of oil and coal being depleted [Unnecessarily Particularly if overcast ; conditions are again experienced from | dust storms across the Tasman, please avoid switching on lights until the normal hour at this time of the year so that no lighting load is added to the system until after the business and mii dustrial load has dropped."
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19441206.2.102
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 136, 6 December 1944, Page 7
Word Count
334AUSTRALIAN DUST Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 136, 6 December 1944, Page 7
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