ELECTRICAL SUPPLY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11765, 12 October 1932, Page 3

ELECTRICAL SUPPLY

EARTHQUAKE- RISK ARG L ATENT AG A t NXT CENTRALISED CONTROL (Press Association.) AY ELLIN GTO X, Dot. ,11. In the course of his presidential address at the annual conference ot the electrical supply authority engineers, Air Hitchcock. of Christchurch, said it Mas probable, unpalatable as it might be, that tlie undoubted reality ol earthquake risk might have a pronounced influence on the future of electrical supply in New Zealand. He said the earihquake risk Mas au argument against centralised control from large capacity plants, and strengthened the case for a decentralised supply from independent sources. Air Hitchcock also said tbai the increasing efficiency hi fuel plants was compelling alien lion. Tlie problem M’as complex. The relative locations of fuel sources, hydro supply, and load centres were involved. It M'as interesting and significant that in t]ie United Stales ol America there muis now more than one ease ot a fuel plant taking the base load and a seasonally affected hydro supplv carrving the varying load. Mr Hitchcock suggested that hvdro-cloctricnl development m New Zealand should be under a commission of control as in Australia and Canada.