POWER SUPPLY

Evening Star, Issue 22975, 4 June 1938, Page 30

POWER SUPPLY

11-FOLD INCREASE IN 17 YEARS GOVERNMENT SCHEMES [Peb United Pbess Association.) WELLINGTON, June 3. “ The growth of the electric supply business from the first Stateoperated hydro-electric power station at Lake Coleridge in 1915 until the present day is an indication that electricity is now an integral part of national economy,” said the Minister of Public Works (Mr R. Semple) this evening. He said that the installed generator capacity throughout New Zealand had risen from 6000 kilowatts, in 1920, to 235,000 kilowatts in 1937, and the units generated had increased from close on 100,000,000 in 1920, to 1,087,000,000 in 1937—an 11-fold increase in 17 years. “During the last year, the increase in units generated by Government hydro-electric stations alone amounted to 179,000,000 units, or a 20 per cent, increase in the units generated in one year,” Mr Semple continued. “ To cope with the evergrowing demand for electricity, the Government has found it necessary to expand and extend its generating plant throughout the country. During last year two new units, each of 21,000 kilowatts capacity, were put into operation at Arapuni, a d a further 20,000 kilotvatt turbine and generator for Waikaremoana have been delivered and will be installed during the coming year. Tenders have, closed for two .15,000 kilowatt units for extensions to the Waitaki power house, and •’uthority to proceed ■ with the development of the Lower Waikaremona scheme, reutilising the water passed out from the existing station, has been obtained. In addition i-o the Govern: ment stations, the Hume Electric Power Company is proceeding with the construction of a new power station on the Cobb River, in Nelson province. This will have an immediate output of 900 kilowatts. During the past year new transformers up to a capacity of 115,350 kilowatts have been placed in service and, altogether, 138;200 kilowatts of transformer capacity have been ordered by the Government during the year. “The increased demand for electricity is materially assisted by the general policy of supplying power at cost since the lowering of tariffs, made possible by the increased demand, has the effect itself of further encouraging increased demands.' This general policy has resulted in the price per unit, averaged over the whole of the Dominion, falling from approximately 2d a unit in 1925 to approximately Id, a unit in 1938—a figure which compares more than favourably with such highly developed countries as Great Britain, the United States and Australia.