EMERGENCY POWERS INVOKED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21962, 5 March 1946, Page 4

EMERGENCY POWERS INVOKED

NORTH ISLAND CRISIS HITS SUDDEN PEAK

HIGH LOAD: LOW GENERATION

Yesterday’s conditions over the North Island were dull and cold generally, and tho foretaste of early winter conditions produced a sudden addition to the normal loading of the hydro-electric

system. An immediate consequence was the production of a crisis which Government officials had probably hoped to defer until the actual onset of winter, and remedial measures taken to ease the load left many parts of the North Island without power for varying periods.

The Poverty Bay Elerlric-Power Board’s district was cut off from the main sources of power at about -1.30 p.m., and though the outage was of comparatively short duration much inconvenience was caused to householders and business people, as well as to the farming areas where milking plants are, dependent on power. Though the increase jn load through the general use of radiators and other appliances to offset the dullness and frigidity of the weather was the primary cause of the crisis, the burning out ’of a generator at Arapuoi is imported to have brought about the drastic use of emergency powers by the electricity controller. District Loads Jettisoned Inquiries indicate that this generator, one of the older group installed at Arapuni, burned out -late in the afternoon. The additional load could not be distributed over the remaining generators, which already were working at full capacity, and the arbitrary switching-off of power to some districts was adopted as a means of easing .the strain on .the generating system. In normal circumstances, such a step would no.t have been taken without a warning to the electric authorities concerned, but .the situation apparently did not allow of any warning being given in .the case of the Poverty Bay board. Fortunately, the load which was thus suddenly transferred to the Poverty Bay board’s stand-by plant did not occasion any damage .to that plant, a s it might well have done. The stand-by plant is, of course, unable to carry the full district load, and a selection of .the vital circuits had to be made at once. The essential district load was carried over the gap in the national supply, bu.t all other forms of supply were temporarily disconnected. The situation which arose yesterday may recur from time to time throughout the next few months, unless strict economics in .the use of electricity are either exercised by consumers or enforced by the authorities. It is to be hoped, however, that if it becomes necessary at any future date, opportunity will be given to consumers to prepare alternative means of lighting and heating. Fault in Generator

but full details have not yet been reported and the repairs may occupy up to a fortnight.

The chief electrical engineer of the Works Department, Mr. F. T. M. Kissel, said that two coils on the No. 4 generator —one of the older 18,000 kilowatt machines —had burnt out. An expert was sent up immediately. Half of Auckland Affected Owing to the failure of the generator at the Arapuni lower station, about half of the Auckland Electric-Power Board's area was without electricity for about 45 minutes after 4.30 p.m. yesterday. Just before the close of a meeting of the board which discussed measures which might be taken to reduce the Auckland" load by 4500 kilowatts as ordered by, the electricity controller, advice was received that the generator had failed and the board was asked to cut off 20.000 kilowatts from its supply immediately. Many of the suburban and rural areas of the board's district were disconnected, but the tramways were not afTccted. Reduction of Consumption A decision to appeal to the public to .reduce the consumption of electricity by every possible means was made by the Auckland Electric-Power Board yesterday. It was agreed that unless the response to the appeal was adeciuate by midday on Wednesday, it would be necessary to disconnect sections of the board’s area in rotation. Following a discussion on ways in which the request for a reduction in power consumption could best be carried out, a decision was made at a meeting of the Auckland Transport Board yesterday that the suggestion made by the assistant manager of the board. Mr. E. B. Foster, to eliminate if possible 199 stops on the tramways system be placed in the hands of the management, with power to act. Combination of Troubles With the levels at both Lake Taupo and Waikaremoana exceptionally low, with a continuing shortage of coal, and a cold snap over most of the North Island, power rationing had a bad start yesterday morning, but the fact that there was such a combination of troubles made it even more necessary that extreme care should be taken by everyone in the consumption of power, the controller of electricity, Mr. F. T. M. Kissel, said in Wellington. After stressing the low levels of Lakes Taupo and Waikaremoana, he said the conditions at Taupo yesterday were rough and no precise measurements of the level could be taken. There had been brief heavy rain at Waikaremoana, but it was not sufficient to make any worthwhile difference.

The fault which has developed in a generator at the Arapuni power-station may demand additional restrictions on the use of electricity in the North Island, states a Wellington message. A week may suffice to rectify the trouble,