AUSTRALIAN STORMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21580, 6 December 1944, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN STORMS

REPERCUSSIONS IN N.Z. DEMAND OiTIsLCCTRICITY (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 6. “The overcast conditions experienced last wool; in various parts of the North Island from dust slo.ms across the Tasman caused by the recent drought anti tires m Australia had serious and uno unacted repercussions .on the electric supply system,' said the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, lor the Minister of Cupply and Munitions, in a statement made last night. “The sudden rise in the load, which commenced early in the afternoon, created an increase oi nearly 40,000 kilowatts at the peak hour. Steam stations had to be run to capacity, with a consequent drain on coal and oil stocks, and various other steps had to be taken to keep the load within the capacity of me generating units in operation. These measures might well have been very serious had it. been necessary to c.-.ny them on for any length of time.” Mr. Nordmeyer said that during the summer months, when opportunity was taken e.uruir; the normal reduction in the demand for• power to overhaul the main hydro-generating plant, any sudden increase in the demand was taken up by the steam stations ancl if the demand was maintained the overhaul of the hydro-generating units would become impossible, with a grave risk of a breakdown during the following winter. Mr. Nordmeyer therefore appealed to all consumers in the North Island to continue to economise as much as possible in the use of electricity to enable the overhaul to continue. Particularly should economy be observed if overcast con-

ditions duo to the trans-Tasman dust storms were experienced again.