IMPROVEMENT OF VOLTAGE.

Matamata Record, Volume XIII, Issue 1104, 10 March 1930, Page 4

IMPROVEMENT OF VOLTAGE.

SEQUEL TO COMPLAINTS. Thames Valley District. An assurance that the supply of power to consumers in the Thames Valley Power Board’s area was satisfactory was given by the engineer, Mr. N. G. McLeod, in a discussion following the reading of correspondence between the board and the Public Works Department, at Tuesday’s meeting. Recently the board has had occasion to complain to the department of low voltage in some of its districts, and at the February meeting a letter was sent to the department asking for an improved service. In reply the district electrical engineer of the Public Works Department stated that alterations on the line between Horahora and Matamata were completed, and the Matamata sub-station had been put back into service. There was still some further work to be done between Matamata arid Waihou, but this would shortly be completed, and the Waihou supply would then be given from Horahora. The board’s resolution called on the department to do exactly what it was doing, i.e., complete the above works, which were being done with the object of improving the supply to the board. The work on the line had taken longer than had been expected, this being partly due to delay in . getting material and partly to the fact that the department was doing more work than was originally intended. As regards the Waihou substation, when this was first put on to Arapuni there were complaints of low voltage, and the department changed taps. Since then there had not been complaints that the supply was not satisfactory. “As regards Matamata,” continued the department’s letter, “we understand that the supply is now reasonably satisfactory.. Can you let us have a statement showing to what extent the voltage at the premises of some of your remote consumers is unsatisfactory ? ” The department asked for certain voltage charts and stated that in the absence of definite information it was unable to judge whether the low voltage was due to some accidental or temporary condition. Commenting on the department’s letter, the chairman said it would now be impossible to get the voltage charts asked for. ! The engineer said that in the Waihou area the voltage had been unsatisfactory, but since the change there had been improvement. Although supply to the consumers was now satisfactory it might again become unsatisfactory. The voltage now supplied by the Government could be improved. As things were at present, there was nothing the board could complain about. While the board’s consumers were getting satisfaction there was no need ,to worry the department. The manager explained that the trouble over low voltages had affected consumers in the Morrinsville and Kereone districts. Sometimes, there had not been enough power to turn over the engines. The engineer explained why mata consumers had been getting very bad voltages, but said that a few days after the board’s letter to the department had been sent there had been a great improvement. As conditions were now, the board was' riot harrassing the department, but if conditions got bad again it would be their duty to refer the matter to the department. Mr. J. Price (Matamata) thought the letter should be replied to, referring the* department to its own charts, and that at present the board was not. a position to give the department the charts requested. The engineer said he had access to the department’s charts whenever he wanted! it. It was decided to reply stating that the department’s own charts would show the original cause for the complaints.