POWER FAILURE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 228, 25 August 1938, Page 10

POWER FAILURE

CITY IN DARKNESS. STANDBY PLANT READY. Through a fault developing in the power line between Napier and WaiKaremoana, the power supply failed in Palmerston North at about 6.30 o’clock last evening, and the city was plunged into darkness for six minutes. Instructions were issued for the two 1400 horse-power Diesel engines which the city maintains as a standby plant, under arrangement with the Public Works Department, to be started. Had the interruption continued for another four minutes, they would have taken up the load in the urban area, but this was not necessary, as the power supply was restored. The generating plant at,Terrace End is not operated now except in emergency, or for taking up the load to avoid a general interruption when volt changes are being made in the currents of transformers. The plant has not been used since April 1, 1937, except for this purpose and one day early in July, when it was operated to relieve the pressure on the Waikaremoana scheme while attention was being given to trouble at Arapuni. Palmerston North’s electricity supply is fed front 'the Bunnythorpe substation, into which four bulk transmission lines lead, one being front Waikaremoana, two direct from Mangahao, and one from Arapuni, via Taranaki. Consequently, when the Waikaremoana supply failed last evening, the load fell on the other sources of supply, the system being interlocked, and this probably accounted for the low voltage preliminary to totality in the power failure. In order to restore the supply to normal, it would be necessary- to make a variation in the inter-locking methods at the sub-station and the lines would have to be completely separated for a period to adjust the balance of the voltage coming from the different hydro-electric units. Though the City Council’s plant could have coped with the. load last evening, it is understood that the requirements have grown so rapidly since the new generating plant was installed two years ago that there might have been some difficulty in carrying the complete load if the interruption bad occurred during the day. when industrial units were busy. WELLINGTON’S EXPERIENCE. CITY DISORGANISED. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 24. An interruption in the supply 200 miles away, at N apier, dimmed the lights of Wellington and halted trams, trains, and electric lifts just when hundreds of city people were returning to their homes to dine. The radio broadcasting stations were silenced and all direct power was cut off for half an hour between 6.30 and 7 p.m. Practically the whole province was affected and throughout a wide area of the North Island electric lights in homes and streets bickered violently. In Welliiigton tram-cars were suddenly plunged into darkness and came to a stop with their passengers chafing impatiently at the delay. In the city streets the lights dimmed and wavered, and all down the streets the crimson and blue tubular electric signs began to dance and jitter in a dazzling and bewildering manner. They continued to do so for many minutes. Presently the lights steadied and resumed full power, but the trams remained in darkness standing where they were. Their passengers began one by one to lose patience and descend into the streets, but they found thenlselvqs too late to obtain taxis. For a short while the taxi services were heavily booked, and while wives waited and dinners spoiled the residents of the nearer suburbs set out to walk home. 1 The electric trains on the suburban lines were, of course, affected by the power failure, although delays were not serious. They, too, depended on the direct current and were without any emergency supply of power. They were obliged to come to a stop where they happened to he and wait until the circuit was restored. Lifts in city buildings and all other services dependent on direct current were affected causing a nuisance’ to those in the higher storeys of some of Wellington’s-tall, modern business buildings. The radio broadcasting stations were abruptly hushed. The national stations 2YA and 2YC were off the air for a full half-hour. Station 2ZB was momentarily cut off, but after, a few minutes was able to resume. Its transmitter, operating at lower power than those of the other services, was able to carry on sending out its programme. The telegraph and telephone services were not interrupted, the Post and Telegraph Department having storage batteries and an emergency supply of power to draw upon. At the end of half an hour, shortly after the town clock struck seven, the power was switched on again. The trams and trains lit up and moved again, lifts responded to the buttons, radio sets raised their voices, and Wellington re-awakened in time to eope with the rush of pleasure-seekers hound citywards between 7.30 and 8 o’clock.