DEFECTIVE UNIT AT WAIPORI CAUSES POWER FAILURE

Evening Star, Issue 26087, 29 April 1947, Page 4

DEFECTIVE UNIT AT WAIPORI CAUSES POWER FAILURE

A taste of the power shortage being experienced by more unfortunate residents in the Nortli Island was given Dunedin people between 7- and 8 o’clock this morning, when the supply was cut off to large areas of the city. Between 7.15 and 7.17 a.m. there was a complete blackout, the supply failing from both the Waipori and State hydro, systems, but the Waitaki power was restored very quickly. A defective exciter unit at Waipori caused a blackout over large areas of the city between 7.15 and 7.41 a.m., with a resultant dislocation of the tram services and inconvenience in the home.

The supply from the State hydro plant at Waitaki amounted to 12,500 kilowatts, which was sufficient for certain areas. The bulb of the consumer demand went unsatisfied for 26 minutes, however, while the trouble at Waipori was located. Tests were made to-day on the defective exciter unit, arid the defects will be repaired. It was reported this. morning that this is the first major failure for some years in the Dunedin district, and, even so, the complete blackout was for a period of only two minutes. Many households were inconvenienced by the failure; with breakfasts delayed and an occasional discarding of the electric razor for another type. City trams were stopped at a peak loading period for more than half an hour, and it was after 9 a.m. before the services resumed their normal schedules.