POWER INTERRUPTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22971, 24 February 1938, Page 10

POWER INTERRUPTIONS

FRANKLIN BOARD'S CONCERN PUBLIC WORKS ASSISTANCE [FROM OTJB OWN CORRESPONDENT] PUKEKOHE, Wednesday Advice that the Public Works Department takes a serious view of interruptions to power supply and is doing everything that is economically justifiable to reduce their number and minimise their effect, was received from the chief electrical engineer, Mr. F. T. M. Kissel, by the Frankliin Power Board. Mr. Kissel's statement was in reply to a letter from the board urging that the installation of larger capacity equipment at the department's Bombay sub-station be expedited, to minimise risks of interruptions to the supply of power to the Franklin district such as occurred on New Year's Eve. He added that two new transformer banks, each* of 3000 k.v.a. capacity, were to be installed at the sub-station before the end of the year. This would double the present transformer capacity available to serve the Franklin area. Members of the board also expressed concern at the number of interruptions occurring of late on parts of the Franklin reticulation system. The engineer, Mr. L. G. Sharp, reported that faults which were showing up in a certain typo o£ terminal insulator after 10 to 15 years' use were largely responsible. A stand-by insulator was being installed in cases where trouble might yet be expected. The board instructed Mr. Sharp to submit an estimate of the cost of replacing all the remaining faulty type insulators to its next meeting.