ELECTRIC POWER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 17 June 1936, Page 2

ELECTRIC POWER

WAIMEA BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING SUPPLY OPERATIONS DURING PAST MONTH The monthly meeting of the Walmea Power Board held to-day was attended by Messrs I'. W. Grcenslade (chairman), R. J. L. York, C. B. Webby, L. A. Higgins, H. E. Stephens, F. W. Gibbs, and W. Max. CORRESPONDENCE A request by Motueka motor engineers for a reduction in charges was agreed to. The Tahunanui Town Board requested that electric supply poles at intersections in Tahuna be painted white. The request was approved. Mr Henderson, engineer at Motueka, forwarded a letter from the Bluff fruitgrowers with reference to the charges for light. It was decided to reply stating that the board regretted it could not make a rebate, but that it would review the charges for packing sheds.

REPORTS

OPERATIONS DURING MONTH OF MAY ' The Supervising Engineer (Mr N. A. Andrews), reported as follows on the Board’s supply operations for the month of May. WAIMEA AREA Headworks: The water supply has been low, the greater part but not the whole of the water in the river coming down the upper head race, and a great deal of attention has been required to maintain sufficient supply of water at the two stations. An insufficient supply of water into the headraces on the 18th and 25th, caused very low voltage in lighting during those evenings, but no actual interruptions to supply occurred. The following day the upper weir was lined with bags, under the instruction of the chairman, curtailing the leakage and no difficulty has since been experienced in the supply of water. A cut was also made from the tail race of the upper station, to divert the water into the lower station pond, which has been, up to this time, maintained from the normal river flow and leakage through the upper station weir. I would.recommend that something of a more permanent nature be erected as a weir for the upper station headrace, as every flood partly carries away the weir which has to be rebuilt, resulting in a continual maintenance expenditure. GENERATING PLANTS Upper Station: This unit is in fair order and running well. Steps are being taken to have the chain shaft bearings and chain case sealed against oil leakage, and the watt-hour meter transferred to the new generator panel. The grouting of the tail race wall has not been done and should be attended to immediately. Lower Station: Trouble occurred with the upper bearing of this plant during the month. Slackness in the bearing increased the wear on the bevel pinions, and these require attention. Adjustments were made in the mesh of the bevels to compensate for wear. A large piece of wood was taken out of the turbine runner. Hours of running- Upper station, 140 hours; lower station, 124 hours. Supply operations: Tne units required for the n-on'h were as follows: Units generated, Waimea supply, 35.495 units (1935, 22,495 units); units purchased, City supply, 8,384 units; max. k.w. peak, Waimea supply, 96 k.w. (1935, 76 k.w.); max. k.w. Peak, City supply, 37.5 k.w. RETICULATION Maintenance: Several service lines have been re-strained or renewed. Poles were replaced. Old H.T. line dismantled from T. V. White’s to Appleby corner. Construction: L.T. line from Bird’s road, Wakefield., to J. Ching’s, has been completed, and service lines to 9 new consumers in this area completed. L.T. cables have been run along Clover road and service line to A. Lammas’s connected to supply. Three new street lights have been erected in the Richmond Borough. Short L.T. extension at Hope has been completed. Installations: Twelve consumers were connected during the month of May, 10 on Waimea supply and 2 on City supply, all on domestic loading, making a total of 965 consumers. Applications for .f'ipply to 31st May 1936 are as follows: — 1. Applications for new connection, 177; increase for month, 7. 2. Applications for additions and alterations to existing installations, 323; increase for month, 8. Additional connected load from Ist September 1933 to 31st May 1936: Light. 92.28 k.w. (87.30 k.w.) (increase 4.98 k.w.); heat, 160.63 k.w. (151.83 k.w.) (increase 8.80 k.w.); power, 66.76 k.w. (66.26 k.w.) (increase .50 k.w.). At the request of the Public Works Department, inspections have been carried out at Ngawhatu Mental Hospital and at Korere Hotel (private plant).

MOTUEKA AREA Headworks: Regular inspections have been made but I have nothing to report regarding headworks. An ample supply of water has at all times been available, and no demand has been made on the storage of the dam. Generating Plants: (a) Hydro set: The hydro plant has operated satisfactorily during the period. A complete test was made during the month of all the safety and protective relays connected with the plant, arid they were all found to be in first class order and functioned perfectly. (b) Diesel Set: This plant has been run for one hour weekly, for maintenance purposes, and is in good order, (c) Condenser: This unit has proved itself to be a valuable asset to the Board’s plant, and I would suggest that it be disconnected from the old gas engine shaft and a bearing substituted, so as to provide a permanent arrangement. The cost of this alteration would be approximately £3O if use was made of part of the old gas engine crankshaft, and £SO if the engine was left intact but removed. The units consumed by the unit would be considerably reduced, by above alteration. I would suggest

that the old gas engine could be sold as scrap, the proceeds applied towards the alteration. Reticulation: Nine service lines have been erected, requiring 5 poles and 10 chains of line. 10 chains of L.T. cable has been erected in Tudor street. All transformers have now been inspected and oil tested. Where oil test was under 2.2000 volts, the oil has been changed and filtered. Supply Operations: The units generated during the month were as fob' lows, the figures for the same month in 1935 being in brackets: Hydro, 72,420 units (51,790); Diesel 315 units (nil). The revenue received from Motueka Borough for the month - of May was:—£492 11s lOd, 1936, (£338 6s 9d in 1935 and £257 4s 6d in 1934); which shows a very satisfactory increase in revenue. Installations: Nine new consumers were connected during the year, making the total 930 to date. The connections to date are as follows:

Arising out of the report it was decided that the Supervising Engineer report to the next meeting on the cost and work necessary to bring the lower station to .a perfect condition.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT The chairman (Mr F. W. Greenslade) reported as follows: — On the day following our last meeting' I notified Mr N. A. Andrews of the new arrangement the board had made in regard to appointing him Supervising Engineer and he took charge from the 21st May. Mr Andrew is now residing at Richmond on the boundary of Richmond and Appleby corner, this being the control position to all his work. On the same day accompanied by Mr Lancaster we visited the Brightwater :|/stem, making an inspection of both stations, also officially notifying Mr Sargent of the change. On the following Saturday’, accompanied by Mr R. J. York, a visit was paid to Motueka when official notification of the new arrangement was made to Mr Henderson. During the month I have had several discussions with Mr Andrews in regard to staff arrangements and general working of the whole system, and we decided that it is better for Mr Andrews to quietly feel his way, obtain further knowledge of the Brightwater system and gradually make alterations and improvements as he finds them necessary. During the month all work authorised by the Board has been brought up to date. The week following our last meeting "trouble occurred through leakage of water at the dam at the upper station, Brightwater, on the evening of Monday, 25th May. The light was almost nil, but I am pleased to report that this trouble has been entirely’ overcome and that ample power and light are now available to the district served from Brightwater. I wish to thank Mr W. Max for information he gave which served to overcome this trouble. I feel more than ever convinced that the step taken by the Board will provide for more efficient and economical working of our operation. COMMITTEE TO MEET NELSON .CITY COUNCIL The committee comprising Messrs Stephens, Max (members), Mr Lancaster (engineer), and the chairman met the City Council Electric Light Committee, Messrs Page, Hurst, and Dr. Gibbs, to request a reduction in power charges. Our committee pointed out the disadvantages our board is working under having to pay such an exorbitant price for current, also the inconsistency of the Council in charging higher rates when the power used was reduced. We asked for a straight out reduction of 50 per cent, on the present charges. After some discussion the City Council Committee stated that they would recommend the Council to make some reduction, but from their general remarks I do not anticipate any great reduction in price. So far no reply is to hand from the Council. LEASE OF 5 ACRES CROWN LAND I have interviewed both Messrs G. Robinson and Bloomfield regarding the lease of this land and found that Mr Bloomfield has had the ground round the station for a number of years as a set off against the Board’s right of entry through his property and this arrangement must not be disturbed. I later saw Mr Robinson and advised him that all the land available to him was the five (5) acres originally Offered by our secretary. This has been accepted.

Previous, , New Total Consumers .... 921 9 930 Ranges 49 1 50 Water Heaters 24 0 24 Motors 263 3 266 Connected load 2198.45 39.30 2237.75