POWER FROM HORA HORA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 2560, 10 April 1928, Page 7

POWER FROM HORA HORA.

THE MONTH'S OPERATIONS

CANNOT CLOSE AT NIGHT

Replying' to correspondence from the Thames Valley Power Board the electrical engineer, Public Works DeHamilton, replied in the following terms. The letter came before the board meeting last Tuesday, reports the Waikato Times. "The power supply from Hora Hora has been almost normal for the past six weeks, with nj maximum load of about 10,500 k.w. during the dry weather. The power-house is taking nearly all the water in the river and the increased flow during the recent wet weather has enabled us" to carry increased load. The interruptions due to trouble at Hora Hora were six in the past four weeks (since January 15) and none m the last three weeks apart from shut-downs on Sundays. The longest interruption from this cause wins of 18 minutes' duration.

"As regards closing down at nigjlit instead of on Sundays, I regret we cannot undertake to do this. When we close down we have from 40 to 50 men working, most of them in the water, and the risk of confusion and accident is too great for this work to be done at night. "With reference to steps being taken to minimise silting up of the headrace during the rainy season, excessive silting will not occur as long as we are able to keep the screens clear a.nd maintain the flow in the race. The amount of silt now passing through the turbines daily, if itwere deposited iu the races, would be sufficient to fill it with silt in about 10 days. The amount of silt now in the race is equivalent to about 3ft depth over the whole area and this amount has not varied much during the past six weeks. The flow in the race has also been steady during that period and it is to be expected that for any flow in the race there would be a corresponding amount of silt deposited, until a state of equilibrium is reached, at which the amount of silt brought into the race is equal to the amount carried through the turbines. As far as the silt is concerned, the position will be improved when the Waikato River rises, because we shall then be able to discharge water and silt through the ga/tes into the weir. This will enable the area of water above the weir to be cleared of silt. It is probable, however, that at periods of high water in the rainy seasons considerably more-pumice and debris will be brought down and there will be increased difficulty in keeping the screens clear.

"The whole matter has been given much consideration, but it doe's not appear practicable te deal with the pumice and debris in any way other than we aire doing!, which is to let it come on the screens and remove it from there." The letter was received.