ARAPUNI POWER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22818, 27 August 1937, Page 12

ARAPUNI POWER

ADDITIONS TO PLANT NEW "UNIT IN OPERATION TESTS PROVE SATISFACTORY WORK ON ANOTHER TURBINE After two years' work at the Arapnni hydro-electric-power station, the fifth unit, known as the No, 7 generator, was brought into operation, without the slightest fuss or trouble, on Wednesday afternoon. There had been a week of preliminary testing. The now turbine is a 30,000 horse-power unit, with a capacity of 21,000 kilowatts, and the resident engineer at Arapuni in a telephone conversation with the Herai>l) last night, stated that it had proved eminently satisfactory. Tho No. 8 unit, which is of similar design and power to that brought into operation this week, has been partly installed, and it is expected that it will be brought into commission within eight or nine weeks. Power House Extensions To house the new turbines extensive alterations to the existing power house were necessary, and from a building of about 200 feet in length it has been extended to 441 feet, being made sufficiently large for four new units, two of which yet havo to be installed. The constructional work on the extensions to the power house has now been completed and tho civil engineers employed on tho job have practically completed their work. However, there are still about 200 men employed at Arapuni, and among other work requiring completion is the construction of an elevator shaft. It is expected that electrical work will continue to engage the attention of tho engineers up to about Christmas, but the number of men employed on the job will be considerably reduced when the installation of the sixth unjt is completed two months hence. Relief no Longer Needed Power from the now unit will be pooled for the whole of tho Isorth Island, but a direct result of its com T plotion was the discontinuance of the use made of the King's Wharf power station last week. AVith the peak load for winter well passed and tho now unit practically ready for work, the district engineer of tho Public Works Department at Hamilton advised tho Auckland Electric-Power Board last week that assistance from the King's vSnarf station would no longer be required, and it was shut down. Brought into operation just prior to Coronation Day in May, the King's Wharf station had been almost continuously employed for nearly four months. It was chiefly used between 4 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., to assist, in dealing with the peak loads, but for two weeks it was kept running continuously. The station will be maintained as an emergency plant.