STEAM PLANTS USED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22513, 17 December 1947, Page 8

STEAM PLANTS USED

AUXILIARY POWER WAIKAREMOANA FALLS ACTION TO SAVE WATER The two principal steam power stations and a number of auxiliary stations in the North Island were brought into action on Monday because of a continued fall in the level of Waikaremoana. The King’s Wharf station, Auckland, which has been inactive since November 4. started running at 5000 kilowatts, a sixth of its capacity. The Evans’ Bay station at Wellington ran at 14.000 kilowatts —well below its maximum out-put-—and the auxiliary stations produced about a further 14.000 kilowatts. Relatively good reserves of coal are held by the power stations and more is expected. King's Wharf had 10.250 tons in stock yesterday morning, sufficient for several weeks' running on full loading, and more is being unloaded.

The level of Waikaremoana has fallen steadilv since July to 1199.4 ft. compared with 2004.4 f- at this time last year. The overflow mark is 2016 ft. The lake is still several feet higher than during the critical period last April. Taupo Level Satisfactory

An officer of the State HydroElectric Department in Wellington confirmed that the water of Waikaremoana is being conserved so that, the maximum use can be made of it when the third station on the Waikaremoana chain—Kaitawa is ready to start working before next winter.

Waikaremoana at present serves the Tuai and Pirinaua stations, which produce 92,000 kilowatts, the same water being used in the two stations. When (he new Kaitawa station, which will have two 16,000-kilowatt generators, is ready, the water will be used three times. The first generator at Kaitawa mav be ready in FebruaryThe level of Lake Taupo is still satisfactory at 1175.0 ft., or I.lft. below the maximum level of control, although it was sliehtly higher at this time last year. It has fallen a foot in the last two months. Tim level was down to 1172.75 ft- on Apr'! 15.