Coping With Growth of City’s Electrical Load

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 196, 19 August 1941, Page 6

Coping With Growth of City’s Electrical Load

SECOND SUBSTATION PLANNED Problems arising out of the growth of Palmerston North’s electrical load were the subject of a report by the city electrical engineer (Mr. J W. Muir) to the last meeting of the City Council’s lighting committee. In this he re commended that provision be mado for a substation in the southern half of the city and that plans be prepared for the building. The proposal was ondorsed by tho committee and when it was presented to the council last night it was adopted. Iu his report Mr. Muir stated: “Tho question of what has to be done to the Department’s reticulation system before next winter has been given considerable thought. At the present time tho business portion of the city is fed from Main Street substation and tho residential portions by overhead feeders from the power' station Terrace End. The loads on the residential feeders have grown considerably, owing to the number of electric ranges that have been installed plus the fact that current at Jd per unit encourages a greater use of radiators in tho homes.- ‘ ‘ There are eight overhead feeders extending from the power station and they are practically fully loaded on midwinter peak loads. One of the difficulties to be contended with 4 ' is that the voltage drop on the feeders is in proportion to their length; therefore the voltage drop on a feeder to; West End is very much greater than on ono to Terrace End. The proposal I have to make is that a substation, somewhat similar to tho Main Street substation, be erected iu or somewhere about, Cook Street, possibly on a portion of the old gasworks site Then the West End and Takaro feeders could bo fed from this point and so cut out the excessive voltage drop. At the same time this would release two feeders from Terrace End, which could bo used to cope with the growing load in the north and cast portions of the city.

“We have on order one mile of 13,000-volt underground cable. This would be laid from Main Street substation to the proposed new substation. We also have on order a 1000 k.v.a. 11,000 to 3300 volt transformer, which it was intended to install in the main street substation. This, it is proposed, could be installed in the new proposed substation.

“Another factor which commends tho installation of a substation in the proposed area is tho fact that, when tho load on the present Bunnythorpo Public Works Department substation reaches full capacity, it is proposed, I understand, not to extend same, but to install a new substation near Longburn aud give the city a second point of supply from that location. This, of course, would mepn that tho council would require a suitable substation to take this supply, situated somewhere in the west end of tho city, and the proposed site near Cook .Street should prove quito suitable for that purpose, and if ray present proposal is agreed to it would be advisable to take this into consideration when planning the proposed build-

‘‘ Mr present proposal is that a section in the old gasworks site be allocated for an electric department substation, and that plans bo prepared and lenders called by the city engineer’s department for a suitable building to meet the present needs, but at the same time making provision that the building can be enlarged at a later date to meet the requirements of housing the necessary switchgear and transformers to deal with a second bulk supply point.” The lighting committee recommended to the council that Mr. Muir and the town clerk approach tho Taupiri Coal Company in regard to securing possession of lots 1 and 2, old gasworks site, Main Street west, for tho purpose of erecting thereon the proposed new substation. and that the c-ity engineer prepare plans and specifications of the building and submit an estimate of the cost to the next meeting of the committee.