ELECTRIC POWER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 226, 23 August 1945, Page 6

ELECTRIC POWER

NEW SUB-STATION PLANNED

PROVISION AT BUNNYTHORPE

The building of a new sub-station at Bunnythorpe for the distribution of electric power from the new generating stations on the Waikato River over the southern part of the North Island is jirovided for in a vote of £230,700 in the Budget recently presen iecl to Parliament. It is expected that work will commence within 12 months.

New transmission lines from the Waikato to Bunnythorpe are to be built and will carry 220,000 volts (higher than the figures used with the present lines). The higher voltage is being employed so as to reduce losses in transmission —this practice has now become generally accepted overseas.

Surveys are now being made for the new line, which will follow a direct route, compatible of course with main features of the terrain. It will not necessarily follow the course of the present 110,000-volt feeder line. Steel towers will be used to suspend the new line, and the use of these enables many difficulties in the transport of heavy and bulky materials to be overcome, for the towers may be divided into small sections for transport to the site where they arc required. Where the line travels directly across country the transport of materials for the towers becomes one of magnitude.

TJie rebuilding of the Bunnythorpe sub-station has become necessary with the provision of the higher voltage feeder lines and the fact that, for the next few years at least, the bulk of the power for this part of the island will come from the Waikato River undertakings. At Bunnythorpe it will be broken down to 110,000 volts and fed over the existing transmission lines.

The design of the new sub-station is in hand at the. head office of the hydro-electric branch of the Public Works Department. This station will be one of two being built at the same time, tiie other being in the Auckland area to serve the northern half of the island. The high voltage of 220,000 has not been so far employed in New Zealand. Contracts have been placed with overseas firms lor the supply of all the major apparatus required.