Past Month's Weather Affects Power Lines

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6625, 11 August 1931, Page 2

Past Month's Weather Affects Power Lines

NOTIFICATION OF FAULTS. Reporting to yesterday’s meeting of the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board, tho chief engineer stated that the past month had been a trying one for the board’s staff owing to the succession of gales and lightning storms, and throughout the month the staff had been kept very busy on repairs. Since the board had been supplying power, it had never had so many direct hits of lightning on its transformers, as had been the case during the last few weeks; while wires blowing together due to gales and branches of trees fouling the lines had taken a heavy toll of the distribution transformers. “We had to change three transformers and replace shattered bushes and leads on another transformer during one period of 12 hours,” he said-. “In the early hours of the morning of August 6 we issued our last spare 3300 volts distribution transformer, and the workshop staff at Bunnythorpe has been doubled to effect repairs to damaged transformers, and get some ready for service again. We have now 12 transformers in the workshop for repairs, being the accumulation of the last few weeks’ storms. Lightning Hits Lines.

“In two instances our lines have been bit by lightning, setting fire to rata cross-arms and burning them off and burning the tops of the poles, but in these cases, the transformers fortunately were undamaged by lightning. In several instances, thanks to the consumers who take en interest in the service, branches of trees across the lines and broken wires, were reported to us at once, and the trouble inspector or gangs arrived in time to save the transformers being 'cooked out.’ “In other cases the consumers have adopted a tardy attitude in advising us of power being off all day, which has necessitated the staff working all night to change burnt out transformers, which could have been done much cheaper and under better working conditions for the men in daylight. This is not fair to the board’s staff. It is bad enough to have to work on the lines during galos in the day-time, but to have to do the same job in thß cold and wet weather at night, when it could be avoided by prompt advice from the consumers, is hardly the co-opera-tion we are entitled to. “Our staff deserve credit for their loyalty to the board, for the way in which they have worked to restore the service, and effect repairs, sometimes in weather that would tax the physical endurance of the strongest man,” he concluded.

The chairman (Mr. J. A. Nash M.P.) suggested that a leaflet he prepared by the engineer urging consumers to notify the board when the power is cut off, this to be distributed by the meterreaders. The suggestion was adopted, it being added that any telephone calls could he sent to the nearest Post Office which would subsequently debit the board with the cost of the bureau. A vote of thanks was also accorded the staff for its services during the period reviewed*