OPUNAKE POWER SUPPLY

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 January 1930, Page 6

OPUNAKE POWER SUPPLY

MediaiNu OF THE BOARD. At tiio monthly meeting of tiie Opunaivo Jifeetiic lower l>uuru, neld on; j. ut»Uuy evening, tneie weie pie sent . hriiiiniidSj _lii. 0041111$j W . '^ m r T• 1 cnainoers, J. P. Durum. J. S. Toslancl, and VY. C. Green. The secretary (Air J. N. Stephenson) reported that revenue lor Aovemoer, lyxd, was as follows, the figures for the corresponding month in the previous year oeuig snown in parentheses.: night, £doT os t>d (£3-r-l lit IhJ j stoves, £bt> os fid (£od 10s od) j _ industrial power, £l6o lUs 4d (£lO5 os od); milking power, £491„ 2s 4d (£4v 0 tos ludj ; water neuters, ht>7 8s 4d (£57 fis Jdj ; street liglits, £l2 Ifis 4d (,£l2 Ifis 4d;; penalties. £l4 15s (id (£lO lbs); total, £1192 10s 7d (£llsl 4s lid). A satisfactory increase was shown in ail classes of revenue excepting industrial power, which snowed a ueciease. This is due to the fact that last year Messrs isnerwood and Beiiam’s stone crusher was.* operating and the harbour hoard motors were in use. _

The resident engineer (Mr T„ B. M<-’r-son) reported lor the month oi December as follows : • On the morning of December 22. .'luring the height of an extremely severe atmospheric disturbance, lightning entered the power station and struck the stator winding of No. 1 alternator, causing considerable destruction. An instrument transformer at the rear of the switchboard was also destroyed. The alternator was immediately dismantled and a number of spare coils inserted in the machine. A ;;ial run disclosed that further coils were affected and, as the complete stator winding ordered in June last had arrived, I decided that the wisest procedure was lx> strip all the old coils from the machine and replace them with the new spares. The decision was put into practice immediately and by working continuous shifts the alternator was able to return to service conditions at 4 p m. on December 29, and lias run sarisfactorily to the present date. Regarding spare coils for the future, a number dismantled from the machine will, after test inspection, prove reliable, but it would be advisable to procure about three dozen ooils from the manufacturers at au approximate cost of £4O.

Whilst the machine was undergoing repairs it was necessary to, slightly restrict tlio supply to the area during milking liour-s , bat very little inconvenience was caused to consumers thereby. Thanks are due to Mr W. H. Huggett, the Now Plymouth electrical engineer, for arranging for‘two of his. repair men to render assistance during the trouble, especially as it was the Christmas holiday period. The stream flow during the month lias been sufficient for requirements without having• resource to the hulk supply other than when the alternator was out of commission. The highest demand recorded at the. station for the month was .‘3BO k.\v\, a,s against .‘3OO k.w. for the corresponding month fast year. The total number of units generated for the month was -1213,200, as against 120,1300 during December, 1928. The units generated would have been considerably higher had the damage not occurred to the plant. As a result of the lightning of December 22 much trouble was caused throughout the whole area. Crossarms and insulators suffered damage and the top of one pole was struck. Small finishing items remain to bo attended to for the completion of the Opnrapa Road, but power will be available this week. Poles have been erected to suit the Oeo deviation and two days’ work will clean up the whole alteration. Decorative lighting streamers wore erected in the main streets of Opunake for the Christmas, and New Year season . Tlie following permits have been Issued during the month: Lighting points 20 heating points 2. washing machines 1 11i.p.. pumps 1 1-ffh.p. Tlie following connections have been made: Lighting points 23. heating points 4,

pumps 1 l-3h.p., washing machine 1 ih I>. The secretary stated that the committee cset up to go into the question of the illuminations of the town of Opunake during the holiday season reported that they had agreed to find the current free providing the bulbs, etc., were found by the townspeople.