ELECTRIC POWER

Evening Star, Issue 21004, 19 January 1932, Page 9

ELECTRIC POWER

♦ OTAGO BOARD'S MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Otago Electric Power Board was held to-day, there being present Messrs J. K. Simpson (in the chair), A. Russell, W. Taine, W. B. Galloway, G. Moore, T. Lowis, A. M'Kinnon, H. M. Driver, and D. Boyd. • FINANCE. The Finance Committee’s report stated that cash receipts for the month of December totalled £3,078 Is 4d, of which electricity sales amounted to £2,749 11s Bd, sundry sales to £lO3 9s Bd, and deposit at call £225. The expenditure totalled £4,651 19s 7d, wages and salaries absorbing £698 15s 7d, motor expenses £46 13s lOd, sundries £lOl 2s 9d, stock £2 Os 2d, appliances £l7 15s 2d, reinforcing Clarendon line £63 8s lOd, wire for reconstructing Clarendon line £493, equipment £l7lls, cost of power including legal fees £2,503 Bs, refund of deposit at call £7OO, and interest £6 4s 3d. Deposits at call totalled £1,025. The gross expenditure to be authorised totalled £1,115 Is 9d, and after allowing for the cash received this month the overdraft will be £15,607 18s 2d. Cash receipts from electricity sales for the f nine months to December 31 showed ' an increase of £1,314 on the same period last year. The report was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT. In his monthly report, which was presented in the afternoon, the engineer (Mr J. C. Collins) stated: — Main Transmission Lines.—The change over from iron to copper wire between Clarendon and Berwick, and the renewal of another main line pole, was concluded on New Year’s Eve. This change over was effected mostly on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, as it necessitated power being off in the whole of the southern area, t but during the Christmas and New Year, besides the Sunday, this work was continued on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons. Unfortunately, despite endeavours to complete each section up to time, the power was often half an hour or more late in being restored to the district. On the Monday in particular, owing to a series of mishaps, power was not restored until 7 p.m. The most serious accident on this afternoon resulted in one of the men having his leg badly damaged. This was caused thSugh an insulator and pin on an angle pole pulling out of the arm while the wire was being strained up. Another accident on that afternoon was the overturning of one of the board’s trucks—it slipped over a bank. _ It is regretted that so much inconvenience was caused to our consumers, but it was imperative that this work be completed before the New Year, and, seeing that the job was not completed till 4 o’clock on New Year’s Eve, there was very little time to spare. In the northern area no interruptions were caused through trouble, but on two Sundays, while the power was off for Insulator renewals, between Halfway Bush and Port Chalmers, a defective arm was renewed on the main line, and a change over made on the main transformer bank at Waitati. As a result of the change over between Clarendon and Berwick, an increased voltage is noticeable in the southern area, and the taps on the main bank at Stirling have been altered to give a normal supply. Distribution.—Since the completion of distribution work where possible men have been taking their annual leave, consequently detailed reports are not available for every district, so that only mention of the most important features in connection with each district can be made.

Owaka.—Tho man in this district, while assisting in the change over at the Balclutha Hospital sub-station, received a severe high tension shock, resulting in burns to his chest, back, and arms, and one foot. He has recovered from the shock very quickly, but the burns, particularly the one in his foot, are healing very slowly. He was, however, assisting again on the main line work for the last few days before its completion, and has since been attending to the maintenance work required in his district.

Balclutha.—This gang was assisting in all main line work up till New Year’s Eve, and the man in'charge oi this district took his annual leave on the following Monday. His assistant has been carrying on maintenance work meanwhile.

Milton.—Since the completion of the main line work the rolling up and carting in of the iron wire taken down has been proceeded with at intervals. About one-eighth of it, at the far end, has still to be brought in. On the 2nd inst. trouble from an unknown cause was experienced on one of the transformer banks in the Milton borough. Temporary repairs were effected on the Saturday, and the bank changed over to a set of three 15 k.v.a. Ferranti transformers the following week. The main Lawrence line was damaged by a falling tree on the 9th' inst. just near the railway crossing past Mount Stuart. The man from Lawrence and two from Milton effected repairs, and power was restored to the Lawrence district by 4 p.m. The man in charge of this district is at present on annual leave, and the services of an employee, temporarily engaged for the main line reconstruction, have been retained until his return. Lawrence.—Besides the main line work practically the whole time has been taken up in the erection of a 11,000 v. line across country from the main sub-station to the Golden Crescent claim. This work is practically completed, the remaining work being the erection of the transformers when required. As stated above,, the man in this district received a rather severe injury to his leg, and assistance in the work has been rendered by one of the Milton men.

Waitati.—ln the Waitati district other than the drying of the oil in the main transformers and the erection of one new service, ordinary maintenance work has occupied the man in this district for the month.

Palmerston.—ln the Palmerston district two new installations were connected up during the month, the oil level attended to in the transformers in the Dimback district, a service at Tumai was disconnected and reconnected to allow of house alterations, six street lamps in the Palmerston borough were repaired, the 6,000 v. shackles on the Glenpark sub-station were changed in an endeavour to eliminate bad power leaks, the low tension and some services in various parts of the district were pulled up where required. The man in charge of this district is at present on annual leave.

Test Room. —The test room was closed for the same period as the office, but Mr M'Crorie did not go on holidays until after the new year, as he and Mr Wafts were required on the main line work. During the past week the test room staff has been occupied in transformer repairs in preparation of particulars for railway crossing at Lawrence, the location of power leaks in tho southern district, and transformer tap changing at Stirling on Sunday. General.—Since last report, owing to holidays intervening, work from the point of view of office detail may appear somewhat neglected. Last week in particular it seemed entirely neglected owing to tho time required in an attempt to put several matters on a satisfactory footing, including street lighting for longer hours at Balclutha. It will, be necessary for the board to consider—(a) allowing the extra lighting hours without extra cost if the borough will supply all lamps renewals, tho board to replace the lamps supplied; (b) to charge approximately one shilling per lamp per quarter per hour of extra lighting. The following inspections have been carried out during the month: —Northern ■ 12, Lawrence 1, southern 13, Owaka 1, totalling 27. During the month twenty-eight permits have been issued, three for new installations and twenty-five extensions. The corrected load is:—Lighting, 1,296.76 kw.; heating, 3,734.38 kw.; cooking, 2,199.78 kw.; water heating, 322.8 kw.; motors, 3,033.04 kw.; a total of 10,586.76 kw.