CUTS IN POWER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25216, 31 May 1945, Page 4

CUTS IN POWER

I APPLICATION TODAY DISCONNECTING AREAS INFORMATION FOR PUBLIC The most drastic reduction in the supply of electricity yet imposed will commence today, when a 10 per cent cut in the load will be made over a 16hour period from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. A similar reduction will operate tomorrow, and on Saturday there will be a 5 per cent cut. Auckland supply authorities have urged consumers to exercise the maximum possible economy in order to avoid as far as possible the necessity for disconnecting supply areas. According to the announcement by the Minister of Supply, Mr Sullivan, on Tuesday, reductions on a similar scale to those about to be imposed will be in force next week.

No supply was cut oft' in Auckland during the peak hours between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. yesterday. Conditions were better necause of the improved weather and economies made by consumers. ' Auckland Board's District

Owing to the failure of the coal supply, the King's Wharf power station, which supplements the hydro-electric supply, will operate only during the evening peak loading hours as from today. The outlook for next week is uncertain owing to the indefinite position regarding coal shipments from, the South Island. So that the public can be informed of pending disconnections of their supply during periods between 4 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., the Auckland Electric-Power Board has listed the areas in its district and given each a distinguishing number. Disconnections, when necessary, will be carried out in those areas in rotation according to a schedule which will change from week to week. The board has advised that it will be necessary for consumers to memorise the number of their area. During emergencies, it might bo compelled to disconnect the supply at, times other than between 4 p.m. and 6-30 p.m. On those occasions the numbers of the areas to be cut off and the times would be broadcast. Schedule for the Week

The list and numbers of the areas are as follows: —(I) Heme Bay, (2) Mount Albert>Sandringham-Mount Roskill, (3) Point Chevalier, (4) Avondale-Block-house Bay-Hillsborough, (5) KingslandSandringham, (6) Mount Helen Road, (7) Orakei-Remuera, (8) Orakei. (9) Ileinuera, (10) St. Heliers Bay, (11) .Mount Eden, (12) Grey Lynn. (13) Onehunga, (14) One Tree Hill. (15) Mission Bay, (16) Epsom-Royal Oak.

Kor the remainder of this week ending on Sunday, when necessary, areas 1, 3. 11. will be cut off from 4 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.; 2. 13. 14. from 4.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; 4, 5, 6. 12. from 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.; 7, 8, 9, from 5.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 10. 15. 16, from 6 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. A new schedule will be announced on Monday.

Need lor Economy Emphasised The general manager of the Auckland Power Board, Mr R. H. Bartley, stated yesterday that he would urge all consumers, industrial and domestic, to reali.se the seriousness of the position and to assist, in meeting it by economising power to at least the extent of the shortage. If a saving of 10 per cent could he made in that way it should be possible to avoid an interruption in the supply, except, perhaps, during the peak loading period in the evening. The solution was in the hands of the public. and the board was doing it.c utmost to assist by testing to determine the minimum voltage which could be carried without switching off the power. .Mr Bnrtlev said that, water heaters should be switched off by consumers for as long a period as possible and there should be a total cessation in the use of radiators, of which there were many thousands in the board's district. Window lighting in shops, under-verandah and exterior lighting and all unnecessary interior lighting were prohibited The Waitemata Board

A statement giving tentative arrangements for restricting the electricity supplv in the Waitemata Electric-Power Board's area has been made by the hoard's manager, Mr A. Main. He states that the board appreciates the difficulties of consumers and the inconvenience to which they are put by the sudden and unannounced switching off of feeders over the peak load hours and that it is realised that if consumers knew when they would be switched off they could often make arrangements t-o le«sen the inconvenience.

This information was difficult to give, as the board was not advised until a few minutes before the reduction was required. and the duration and degree of the reduction depended on a number of factors which could only be assessed from moment to moment.

"To assist consumers, however, the boarrl lias prepared a schedule showing; the rotation of switching and the duration of shutdown," the statement continues. "It must he clearly understood that for the reasons given strict adherence to this schedule cannot he promised. Under the conditions so far experienced, however, there is reason to expect that this order can he maintained, and consumers will therefore he able to make their arrangements accordingly. It should be understood also that the schedule applies only to peak load rationing between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Should instructions be received to pffpct further reductions during other hours after Sunday it will he necessary to adopt a different procedure." Probable Order of Rationing

In all cases the duration of shutdown will be limited to 20 minutes and the rationing period will he taken as starting from 4 p.m. Following is the order in which it is anticipated feeders will be switched off between the hours of 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.: Titirangi feeder and Takapuna West; (2) Air Base feeder, Devonport East and Devonport Central feeders: (.'■!) Warkworth feeder. Puhoi - Dairy FlatWhangaparaoa feeder, and Albany. Northcote and Birkenhead feeders; (4) Henderson North feeder and Henderson West, feeder to Parkhurst; (51 Takapuna Fast feeder; (0) Henderson South feeder to New Lynn; (7) TahekeroaHelensville feeder and Takapuna Central feeder: (8) Devonport West feeder. "Consumers should realise that during the morning and early afternoon very little cooking and heating, no lighting and only a light traction load are in operation." said Mr Main yesterday. However, from 4 p.m. onward in the winter months a heavy traction load, a heavy lighting and heavy domestic cookine load and a particularly heavy radiator load are superimposed on the dailv load. For those reasons consumers who can possibly arrange to have their meals at midday or to cook the more essential portion of their dinner before 4 p.m. tend to r plipvp this heavy demand and reduce ihe peak load on the generating svstem."

BOARD'S OPERATIONS INCREASE IN CONSUMERS (0.C.) KATKOHTS, Wednesday Tn his report to the annual meeting of the Bay of Islands Electric-Power Board, held in Kaikohe, the consulting engineer, Mr Lloyd Mandeno. stated that the number of consumers during the year increased from 2653 to Milking machine motors connected increased from 482 to 606 and dairy water-heaters from 279 to 384. Purchases of power from the Government. showed an increase of 11.5 per cent for the year, stated Mr Mandeno. Units purchased rose from 9,258,812 to 10.,147.942. The amount paid for power was £15,245. FALL THROUGH WINDOW Severe laceration of an arm was suffered by June Waititi, aged 13, a pupil of the Queen Victoria School for Maori Girls, as a result of falling through a window yesterday. She Trai admitted to the Auckland Hospital.