VOLTAGE CONDITIONS ON NORTHERN LINE

Northern Advocate, 21 June 1937, Page 2

VOLTAGE CONDITIONS ON NORTHERN LINE

[Special to “Northern Advocate ~l AUCKLAND, This Hay.

Voltage conditions at sub-stations in the Waitemata Electric Power Board’s district have been the subject of complaint for a considerable period, and there has been a great deal of correspondence between the manager of the board, Mr A. Main, and the chief electrical engineer of the Public Works Department on the subject. The correspondence was tabled at today’s meeting of the board, together with a report by the manager. Whatever temporary arrangements the department found it necessary to make to supply the initial small loading in the Northland line, such arrangements should not jeopardise the. supply to a consumer paying the department a revenue of ( £41,000 this year, and probably £47,000 next said Mr Main. The Line North. Referring to the Northland line, Mr Main said it was a single circuit and supplied the board’s northern.' areas from Tahekeroa and the North Auckland Power Board’s district. Large developments could be expected in the North Auckland district, and, if further areas, were added, and Whangarei .included, the line might be called upon to transmit loads largely in excess of its capacity. Not only would conditions at the new sub-station on this line become difficult, but the Penrose—Henderson district circuit would have to carry the additional burden when already loaded to capacity. “So far as the Penrcse —Henderson —• Takapuna lines are concerned, the service, from a continuity point of view, has- been good. This has been due largely to the fact that, with failure on one line, it has been possible to maintain supply oh the other line.

“At the rate at which loads.are increasing and with the development of the North, it' is doubtful if .this condition could be maintained on lines of the present capacity. The position is much more serious so far as the Northland line is concerned.”