POWER SUPPLY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23340, 8 May 1939, Page 14

POWER SUPPLY

SHORTAGE UNLIKELY STATEMENT BY MINISTER DEMAND NOW STEADYING DOWN POSITION IN SOUTH ISLAND [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION"] CHRISTCH'URCH, Saturday "Indications are that there will not bo a power shortage, as is feared in certain quarters," said the Minister of Public Works, tho Hon. R. Semplo, this afternoon, at the opening of the Municipal Electricity Department's new building at tho corner of Armagh and Manchester Streets. "It is considered that tho rate of increase of tho growth of load will not bo maintained at the high level attained in tho South Island between 1937 and 1938, and the load on tho South Island system'will probably increase at a slower tempo in future," he added. Mr. Semplo said a judicious guess at tho peak load for tho coming winter was 79,000 kilowatts, against which there was installed hydro-electric plant capable of developing over 84,000 kilowatts. There was still a certain amount of fuel plant stand-by in addition 1 to hydro development.

Council's Fears

"I think your council is a little afraid wo will have a shortage next winter," he added, "but the rush between 1935 and 1938, when tho demand for power in the Dominion almost doubled, is steadying down. If tho demand did continue, we would be up against it for power, but during tho depression the demand for power could not express itself on account of tho lack of purchasing power."

The Minister quoted the following works in hand to meet future demands:—

Two additional units each of 15,000kilowatt capacity are to bo installed in tho existing Waitaki power house. Preliminary work in connection with the installation of these will begin in about one month's time. The machines are duo for delivery in October of this year, and one machine should bo ready for operation by the winter of 1940. A hew power station is to be built in tho Rakaia district at the end of the Rangitata race of 24,000 kilowatts. Tenders will close on May 9. This station should bo in operation by the winter of 1941. Survey at Lake Survey and investigation work is in hand at Lake Tekapo. The work there will be designed to regulate the flow from the lake to make a more even flow available at tho Waitaki power station. Tho power station on the Arnold River taken over from the Grey Elec-tric-Power Board has been made safe — erosion was threatening the safety of tho dam —and its capacity being increased from about 2200 kilowatts to 3000 kilowatts by improvements at the dam and by clearing debris from the tail race. This work is nearly complete. The transmission line from Ashburton to Timaru is being changed from 86,000volt to 110,000-volt, to increase the capacity to carry power from Waitaki northward. The transmission line to North Canterbury is being extended from Southbrook to Culyerden, to enable a supply to bo given by the North Canterbury Power Board in the Cheviot and Amuri counties. Dealing with the growth of the load on tho South Island system, Mr. Semple said that during the past five vears tho maximum demand on the Government South Island system had been as follows: —Winter of 193o: Peak load, 36,»>>, increase —,193b, 44 500 7700; 1937, 58,200, 13,<00: 1938, 69,700, 11,500; 1939, 79,000, 9300 (probable). Those somewhat irregular increases were due to the fact that between 1936 and 1937 the Southland load was added to the system, and between tho winters of 1937 and 1938 the West Coast load was added. Allowing for those irregularities, the growth was seen to be more uniform.

NORTH AUCKLAND AREA PROFIT OF £BOOO FOR YEAR [by telf.grapn —own correspondent] DARGAVILLE, Saturday "The past year's operations and results have again exceeded expectations and reflects the solid support given bv consumers and tho soundness of tho district from an electrical supply point of view under normal economic conditions," stated the financial report submitted by the treasurer, Mr. S. P. Dav, at the annual meeting of the North Auckland Electric-Power Board. Profit shown for the past year amounted to £BI2B 19s 6d after payment of the full statutory depreciation charge of £2751 12s Id. The demand for a supply of power from large areas not vet reticulated indicated that under ordinary circumstances the rate of advance would bo maintained for some time to come and it was certain that when the present demand had been satisfied further areas would have developed to the stage where an electric supply was economically sound.