POWER SCHEME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22431, 29 May 1936, Page 10

POWER SCHEME

WEST COAST SUPPLY LINE TO COST £155,000 |8 CHEAPER THAN LOCAL STATIONS GOOD PROFITS . ANTICIPATED jf - [BY TELKCRAPH —SPECIAL RKPOHTEa] | WELLINGTON, Thursday ' The Public Works Department! scheme for the transmission of electrio" power to 'the West Coast of the SoutJj 1 Inland from the Waitaki-Ooleridge gyj. tem will involve the expenditure' of ap. proximately £165,000 on the construo. tion of the line alone. This was indiX cated by the Minister of Public Work*,' the Hon. It. Semple, who stated in an | interview to-night that the project would allow rapid development of gold mining and other activities cn the West Coast. "Wo investigated three sites near I Hokitika for hydro-electricity generate ing plants," said the Minister, "but to f have provided power in that way froin' the biggest of these scheme would have cost £IBO,OOO, and the tot.nl output would have been only 5000 kilowatts/! Wo have at present 15,000 kilowatts t<} £ spare from the Waitaki -Coleridi© $ supply, and there is plenty of scow l there for an increase if it is required. To have developed two plants on West Coast, which might hav® beep necessary, would have cost between/ £BOO,OOO and £400,000, and then «| would not have had-as much power as 1 will be available from the scheme we have decided to undertake." u t The Minister stated that the scheme did not involve any extension of the existing plant at Waitaki, as the initial consumption on the West Coast would be only 7000 or 8000 kilowatts. The immediate object was to supply power ifor the development of gold dredging operations, but if the demand wail created the power would be available for other industries. Eventually the department might consider using this supply for the electrification of the Otira Tunnel. If this happened it would be possible to dispense with the existing power.; station at Arthur Pass. "It is my opinion that this will prove to be a very profitable undertaking," the Minister continued. "We already have an assured revenue from mining interests, and anything we do to assist mining will increase the return to ths State from the industry. One company alone proposes to spend £500,000 to £750,000 on the Coast, and other undertakings of a similar nature are contemplated."