Cutting the Peak Load

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 279, 25 November 1936, Page 16

Cutting the Peak Load

GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE ON THE QUESTION CITY COUNCIL TO CONFER ' ■ WITH MR KISSEL • Matters in reference to the proposed agreement with the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board concerning tko purchase of power in bulk came before the Palmerston North City Council, when the reports of two committees were adopted without comment. The works committee reported that it had before it a letter from tho Minister of Public Works stating that he could not undertake to supply on the ordinary maximum demand rato applicable to other authorities taking tho whole of their supply from the State system, power for use by a local authority which used its own plant for peak reducing purposes, and that he had instructed tho chief electrical engineer to discuss-with the council conditions under which tho department could supply if the council desired to operate its own plant.

Tho works committeo added that it had decided that the communication should be referred to the lighting committee in order to obtain certain information from the city electrical engineer, and that the Minister be advised that the council could not settle the matter contained in tho first portion of his letter relating to tho suggested terms of a new agreement with the Power Board until the final paragraph of his communication in reference to the council usjng its own plant for peakreducing purposes is dealt with; further, that the council- would be pleased to receive Mr F. T. M. Kissel (Chief Electrical Engineer, Public Works Department) and hear his observations,. and that a copy of the communication to the Minister bo sent to the New Zealand Municipal Electric Supply Authorities’ Association.

The lighting committeo recommended that a copy of tho Minister’s letter should bo forwarded to the Power Board and that it bo advised that tho Council had expressed its willingness to meet the Chief Electrical Engineer to discuss with him the conditions under which tho Public Works Department could supply power if the council decided to operate its own plant. Effect of Peak Cutting

In accordance with a request from the works committee that ho furnish the amount of current taken from the Power Board for the period when no power was generated by the council’s own plant owing to tho installation of the new Diesel engines, and to supply comparative figures for tho corresponding period of the previous year, the electrical engineer (Mr J. W.. Muir), advised as follows: The period when no power was generated was the quarter ending March 31, 1936. The amount purchased from the Power Board for this period was 1974.158 k.v.a. at 2 to 2.30 on March 30,. The figures for the corresponding period, i.e., quarter ending March 31, 1935, were: Peak, 2326.8 kvv.a., 7 to 7.45 p.m. on March 30, 1935, Of this load, 1730 k.v.a. at 9 to 9.30 a.m. on February 26, 1935, was purchased from the Power Board, the balance, 596 k.v.a. being generated with the gas engine plant. A letter was received from the Power Board intimating that it had unanimously adopted the proposals agreed to at the recent conference regarding bulk supply. Increase in P.evcfiue for Half-year A statement covering tho working of the electrical department for tho first six months of the present financial year was presented by Air Muir. This read as follows: —

‘‘Although considerable reductions in selling rates were made and became operative from July I, tho total revenue for the half-year shows an increase. The total revenue was £35,410, as against £34,721 for tho same period last year, an increase of- £689.

‘ ‘ The balance from the gross revenue account was £19,820, as against £19,926 last year, showing that the expenditure increased slightly more than the revenue, due, of course, to the fact that a larger purchase of power had to be made to obtain the increase in revenue at the lower charges. The increased wages cost, due to the inauguration of the 40-hour week, also accounted for a portion of the increased revenue expenditure. “The balance from the net revenue account is £13,983, as against £12,283 last year, an improvement of £I7OO, due in the main to the fact that the sinking fund charges were included in the net revenue account last year. This year they are shown in the appropriation account at £llß6.

‘ ‘ Considering it was estimated that the reductions made in charges to consumers would be equal to £5091 for the nine months of the year in which the reductions would be in operation, it is pleasing to note that an actual reduction in revenue has not taken place in the first half of the year.” The principal matters covered in the electrical engineers ordinary monthly report were as follow; — Coping With the Growing .Load ‘‘Units generated and purchased during October show an increase of 11 per cent, and for some months now the increase over the same period of last year has been in the vicinity of 14 per cent.‘‘The peak load for the June quarter was 3187 k.v.a., as against 2895 k.v.a. the previous year, and for the quarter ending September 30 it was 3115 k.v.a., as against 2789 k.v.a; the previous year. The increase in the peak load handled is approximately 10 to 11 per cent., and this, in turn, means that it is necessary to increase the capacity of the distribution transformers by installing additional ones. “ Tho 1000 k.v.a. bank of 11,000 to 3300-volt transformers in the Main street sub-station has,-during the last two quarters, been fully loaded at peak load hours each day. Before next winter, in my opinion, it will be necessary to increase the capacity of this substation to 2000 k.v.a., by installing an additional 1000 k.v.a. 11,000 to 3300volt transformer. ‘‘No alteration to tho underground feeder supplying Main street substation from the power station will be necessary, as when this feeder was installed seven years ago, provision was made for it to have a capacity of 2000 k.v.a. to provide for growth of load.

‘‘l suggest that tenders be called for the above 1000 k.v.a. transformer and necessary iron-clad oil switch for same. “It is also necessary that additional 3300 to 400-230-volt distributor transformers bo installed in tho following positions: Vogel street, for'new pumping plant,. North! street,. Grey street (corner of Eangitikei street), .Victoria avenue (Elmira avenue), Princess street, arid ,one spare, as! our present spare is being installed-in King.street, each 100 k.v.a.; and 50 k.v.a. transformers in. Albert street (Pahiatua street), Russel street (Rongopai street), Wood street (Boundary' road);, in all' six 100 k.v.a. transformers and threo 50 k.v.a. transformers.■ I suggest that tenders be called also for same.

“Now that the existing transformers in Alain street sub-station aro fully loaded, extra ventilation in this building is required before the hot'summer weather commences. This-matter has been taken up with the city engineer (Air J. R. Hughes), and ho estimates that provision for, additional ventilation will cost £25 5s to instal. - “A start has been made with, the

laying of a 3300-volt cable in King street. This job includes also the erection of a 100-k.v.a. transformer opposite the Regent arcade and the laying of a 400-volt underground cable through the arcade to Broadway, increasing tho capacity of the mains to provide for the growing load in that area.”

Acting on the recommendation of the lighting committee, the council decided that tenders be called for the necessary transformers and that the work of providing additional ventilation in the sub-station in Main street bo proceeded with immediately.

A new limit, in laziness was described in the Supremo Court at Auckland by a wife seeking a divorce on the ground of separation. She said her husband was a lazy man. He had been on relief work, but was too lazy even to go and draw his relief pay. The petitioner obtained her decree.

Sulphur fumes have neen very noticeable in Opotiki at times during the last few days. It has also been noticed that the cloud of vapour above White Island has been exceptionally large and higlij reaching several thousand feet