Concern At Reduction In Power Supply

Northern Advocate, 26 April 1944, Page 4

Concern At Reduction In Power Supply

(Special)

AUCKLAND, Monday

After publishing last month a statement that the allocation of power would be fixed at the same per centage of the increase as last year, the Electricity Controller (Mr. Kissel) has now officially advised that the board’s weekly percentage increase allowable for this year will be less than that under which it operated last year, the allocation having been reduced from 4 per cent to 3 per cent, stated the manager (Mr. A. Main), in a report on power shortage at a meeting of the Waitemata Power Board this afternoon.

A protest was sent objecting to the reduced allocation circumstances in which this board operates. In reply, Mr. Kissel said he could not, in fairness to the consumers, see his way clear to increase the allocation. Mr. Main said the allocation was conditional on three factors: no serious breakdown of the plant, normal hydraulic conditions and ample coal supplies, As there was a serious degree of risk with any or all of these factors this winter, the position could only be described as one of national gravity, as this board’s increase in weekly demand over the corresponding weeks of last year, averages from 10 per cent to 14 per cent., and as all permissible steps have been take to decrease the load it will be absolutely impossible to keep within the allocation of 3 per cent increase.

If the controller places the board on the defaulters’ list, under which it must compulsorily reduce load, much inconvenience and hardship will be caused to some 18,000 consumers in the area from Devonport to Te Hana.