10 Per Cent Electricity Cut In N.A. Board Area

Northern Advocate, 16 March 1948, Page 3

10 Per Cent Electricity Cut In N.A. Board Area

A CUT in electric-power amounting to approximately 10 per cent has been .notified to the North Auckland Power Board by the electricity controller, Wellington.

This cut is made up of 5 per cent excess of allocation and 5 per cent in reduction of allocation. To meet the position a general daily cut from 1.30 a.m. to 4 a.m. has been made while domestic water heaters have been limited to 84 hours a week. A further cut between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sundays will also be made;

The boardfs engineer (Mr. T. R. Overton) said this morning that he had received notification from the Electricity Controller that due to the dry conditions at Taupo and Waikaremoana, and the difficulties of obtaining coal and oil supplies for steam stations, the supply would have to be cut. •To meet these, conditions the board had been directed to reduce its consumption by approximately 10 per cent, made "up of 5 per cent excess of allocation and 5 per cent in reduction of allocation. PERIOD UNKNOWN No indication had been given in the memorandum about how long these restrictions would continue, Mr Overton stated. It would be for the load despatcher at Hamilton to make any change which he thought advisable. “While the position with us has not been unduly serious, this last fall of rain will, to some extent, arrest the fall-off in dairy production,” he continued. “That means higher electricity consumption in dairying districts, and an acute shortage in' the board’s area, but we are unable to get special consideration.” Mr Overton said cuts wopld be instituted tonight. The power supply would be cut off daily between 1.30 a.m. and 4 a.m. and on Sundays between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Domestic water-heaters would be limited in use to 84 hours a week.

AUCKLAND HEATERS The use of domestic water-heaters is again prohibited between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily in the Auckland Power Board’s district. This decision was made by the board yesterday in order to save 600,000 units of electricity weekly and so meet a demand from the Electricity Controller (M* F. T. M. Kissel) for a general 5 per cent reduction in the allocations of power throughout the North Island.

The controls governing shop window lighting, sports lighting and similar services are also to be tightened so far as staff is available to carry out the work. No cuts are intended.

The general manager of the board (Mr R. H. Bartley) said he was convinced that these provided little saving in units unless they exceeded an hour’s duration and were applied irregularly without warning. He hesitated to go as far as this at present unless the position were forced upon the board and unless other measures failed to produce the required results.

BAY BOARD RESTRICTIONS ■ In the Bay of Islands Power Board’s area the cut has been made on domestic hot water services only. The secretary (Mr W. S. Thorpe) said that domestic hot water services could now be used only at night-time, and would be oc each day. The period in which the heaters could be used was restricted to the period from 7.30 p.m. to 7.30 a.m.. The question of cuts would be considered again on Monday when the effect of the present restrictions could be gauged.

WHANGAREI SUPPLIES The Whangarel Borough Council so far has not received any information on the subject of cuts to the supply, but it is proceeding with the reduction of water heating consumption to 270 units each a month in accordance with a decision of its load committee earlier this month. Electricity supplies for the borough are drawn from Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement, Ltd., which, however, has not yet instituted any further cuts to the borough supply. The Whangarei borough was likely to have the same cuts in its electricpower supply as other- power authorities had been forced to bring into operation, said the manager of the Portland Company (Mr E. Leese) today.

No official advice regarding any cuts to consumers had as yet been received by the company, but this was expected any day now.