Power Board

Hutt News, Volume 12, Issue 9, 27 July 1938, Page 5

Power Board

A meeting of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board was held on Thursday afternoon. There were present the chairman, Mr. A. W. Press, and Messrs. R. W. Bothamley, P* Dowae, G. London, G, E. Stephens, C. Rowland, A. Walker, J. Maher. Consideration of the opening of to collecting depot was held over until next meeting. A letter from the chief electrical engineer of tho Public Works Department (Mr. FT T- M. Kissel) was read concerning interruptions to the power supply on July 4. Mr. Kissell stated that investigation had shown that power waa not available from the substation busbars at the following times, due to a faulty relay at Khandallah substation: 8.2 te 8.6 a.m., 8.14 to 8.10 a.m., 8.26 to 8.29 &.m. It was regretted that owing to the peculiar nature of the fault the indications were that tho fault existed en No. 3 feeder from Melling substation. This feeder was therefore left open at the request o the Department's operators room 8.16 a.m., to 8.30 a.m. This feeder and two others were left open for longer periods at the request of the board's officers. The chairman (Mr. A. W. Press) said he did not agree with the last sentence in Mr Kissel's letter. This communication was an admission that the interruption of power on July 4 waa the .fault of the Public Works Department and not the Power Board. It waa stated that the whole of the Hutt Valley was disconnected from the Government supply from 8 to 8.38 a.m. The Manufacturers' Association took exception to this failure. Following the receipt of a . letter from the Manufacturers' Association and the reading of the chairman's Teply a long discussion took place on power failures. It was decided that only the Public Works Department's letter should be made public and the remainder should be treated as in committee. Tho engineer and general manager, Mr. G. F. Hollands reported as follows:— A comparison of power sales from April 1, to June 30, 1938 with figures for the corresponding period last year given in parenthesis is as follows: Availability- rate £15,791/3/2 (£17,875 16/4), a decrease of £2084/13/2; commercial lighting £4212/19/1 (£3465/14 9) an increase of £747/4/4; water heat-, ing £3526/14/5 (£3053/0/3), an increase of £473/14/2; power £11,336/12/1 (£10,280/19/5), an increase of £1055 12/8; public lighting £1310/17/8 (£l2Bl 17/3), an increase of £29. Discounts £2399/9/10 (£243/11/9) a decrease of £35/1/11. Totals £33,778/16/7 (£33,522/16/3) an increase of £256/0/4. Eighty-six new consumers were connected during June, with a further 64 additions to existing installations. The totals to June 30 are as follows: Number of consumers 13,730, ranges installed 2688, water heaters connected 2624, connected load in k.w. 60,040. . Statistical Teturns for quarter ending Juno 30, 1938, with figures for corresponding period last year in parenthesis arc as follows:—Total number of installations 13,750 (12,943), connected load k.wf. 60,040 (53,193), units registered 10,427,960 (8,928,600). Maximum demand monthly k.v.a. April, 7800 (7104), May, 8,544 (7,584), June, 9264 (7847) peak for quarter.