OTAGO ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20287, 21 December 1927, Page 16

OTAGO ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Otago Electric Power Board was hold yesterday, and was attended by Messrs H. M. Driver (chairman), P. Briscoe, J. K. Simpson, J. Guest, D. Boyd, I’.. Carson, and \\. B. Galloway. ENGINEER-MANAGER'S REPORT. Mr Collins (engineer-manager) submitted the following report for the month ; » " The main linos are all ui good order, hut some repairs to the telephone line on the main line to Waipori were necessary during the month, and it was necessary to clear some gorse and ,crub from the Port Chalmers-Waitati line. “ In the Balclutha district, tow tension and house service to Mr Marshall (Paretai), Mr Smith (Lakeside, Lovells Flat), extra low tension to Mr Telford at Otanoniomo and M'Croslie’s, Lakeside, have been effected during the month. A number of poles on the road at Paretai were blocked, and low' 'elision to Mr Kelly Kaitaugata, run. This gang was also employed in erecting sub-station at Edcn> street, Milton. The men are at present engaged at 'Roscbank.

“ In this Milton district the necessary work in connection with mppiy to Mr Elliot, and Mr Atiicidi, Clarendon, and to two new consumers at Waihola was carried out. and the men engaged in reconstruction in the Milton borough itself. A careful examination of the ties on the main lino poles was made, and these aro now reported to be in good order. “In the Waitati-Seacliff district, house services at Wailati and Merton wore run, and the necessary alterations to the Wnitati line in connection with the sawmill carried nut, and pole steps Itled to oi poles. The men are at present engaged in Purakanui.

“A considerable number of interruptions have taken place during Hie month, the majority of these being due to the City Corporation having to replace insulators broken by shooting on the Halfway Bush-Port Chalmers line. ‘ In the Palmerston district, the connecting up of all consumers between Dnnhack and Palmerston was omplelod, and necessary connections in Palmerston and Waikouniti made, including one range, power for bakehouse, and milking plant. The railway guards on line works line were erected, and the men aro at present engaged on new house services at Karitane and Puketoraki.

In tli e Lawrence district, during the month power was switched on at tVaitahuna and Evan’s Flat md Beaumont Tile people throughout this district are apparently very enthusiastic, and a largo proportion fully realise the advantage and the necessity of making full use of Unavailable power. “Mr Butler completed Ihe Beaumont line in good time. The opportunity was taken of employing some of Ina men on low tension work at Beaumont for two or three clays. H c is at present erecting the 6000 volt lino to Tuapeka Flat. Transport throughout the district is giving satisfactory service.” The report was adopted. AGREEMENT WITH CITY CORPORATION. Considerable discussion took place regarding the conditions of f he agreement between the board and the corporation for the supply of power from Wainori. being hold that n more liberal interpretation should he adopted by the corporation. Mr Collins submitted the following report on the matter: —“ T should like to point out, and T think it only fair that power users in the city should he conversant with the ease, that under the agreement between the Power Board and tlie City Corporation my board is offered every incentive to clap its peal: load on top of the city’s peak load. In other words, should wo so try to arrange matters as to have a heavy load occur during the city's light load hours we should be heavily penalised. That such a state of affairs should continue to exist at a time when the city electrical engineer is making every endeavour to got his big powerusers in the city to take power over night, and so relieve his station, while at the same time he has issued a circular letter notifying consumers that the fear of overload makes it essential to refuse any application for business heating in the meantime —that such a state of affairs should exist, does call for some explanation from the city authorities. It certainly is opposed to good practice, that an agreement whereby the user is penalised for improving the load factor on the generating station, should bo in operation.” It was decided to approve of the terms of the report, and to forward a copy to the City Council. GENERAL.

An application from the Waikouaitl County Council for 12 street lights at Ivaritann was approved. Letters were received from the Taieri County Council and the Maniototo County Council, each agreeing to pay a proportion of the cost of a survey and inquiry into a -scheme for the reticulation of the Strath Taieri and Maniototo districts. A letter was received from the Owaka Progress League asking that a supply of power be given to Owaka as early ns possible. —It was agreed that a preliminary survey be made into the requirements of the district.

Mr Carson brought up a complaint regarding the failure of the supply at Balclutha. —Mr Collins stated that a fair number of interruptions had taken place in the district, consequent on the power at the Balclutha pumping plant causing the switches to open on the top of heavy loading. There was also the matter of voltage, and this was being investigated at the present time. At the conclusion of the meeting the chairman and Messrs Simpson and Galloway referred to the excellent work being done by the board, and to the fact that the great usefulness of electric power aim lighting was being reeogniscd_ day after day, as was proved by the applications fo>installations. Reference was also made to the excellent work of the engineermanager (Mr Collins) and the secrctar-, (Mr Dcnford).