CENTRAL OTAGO POWER BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21831, 19 December 1932, Page 5

CENTRAL OTAGO POWER BOARD

i i # MONTHLY MEETING (From Ode Own Corbespondent.) ALEXANDRA, December 16. The monthly meeting of the Central Otago Electric Power Board was held in Alexandra on December 13. The following members were present:—Messrs William Bringans (chairman), C, Weaver,. W. M. Lopdell, C. C. Sanders, G. Wishart, and G. T. Alexander. Before commencing the business of the meeting the Chairman made reference to Mr A. Ashworth's recent death, and a motion of sympathy was carried in the customary manner. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer-manager reported as follow's upon the operations of the board during the past month: — During October the linesman erected two services for range loading in Alexandra, tw r o services in Earnsclciigh, and one. in Spriugvale. A short section of service' line no longer required in Fuitlands was dismantled and carted into the store, and another section line strengthened to take increased motor loading. During November a dairy service was erected iu Springvale and a motor service in Alexandra, repairs were carried out- to services in Alexandra, Cromwell, Lowborn, and Omakau. The main line was, patrolled and required a brief shut-down to allow a loose insulator to be tightened. The stream flow in the Roaring Meg has been taken at intervals during November and show’ed a maximum of 67 heads and a minimum of 40 heads. The negotiations with the Public Works Department as to the Roaring Meg conditions showed a nearer approach to agreement. Acting upon the board’s suggestion that an interview with the chief electrical engineer might advance the position, he had been able to arrange a meeting. The board’s contract for erection of lines to the Fourteen Mile claim had been accepted and the work had been put in progress. A gang of five men w T as at present erecting a 6600 volt line from Fruitlands back beyond Gorge Creek and was expected to complete the work about the end of the year. Some of the settlers might wish to be connected to this linn, but no definite applications had been received so far. In accordance with instructions he made an inspection of the Hawea scheme as sumbitted to the board by a deputation from the Wanaka Progress League. The deputation proposed that the board abandon the Roaring Meg proposal and re-

place it with a development on the Hawea River, taking advantage of the possibility of the Hawea Lake being already dammed for other purposes. It was suggested that by carrying a race along the river banks from the outlet of the lake to a point near Camp Hill approximately three miles downstream, a, fall of 130 feet would be obtainable by dropping the water back to the Hawea River bed. On his visit he checked this fall, and found it to be actually 50 feet, so that the only justification for the figure of 130 feet was that of the assumption that the river at Camp Hill was at the level of Wanaka Lake. Anyone viewing the Hawea River at its outlet from the terrace above, and then examining the fall at Camp Hill from the same terrace to the river would see that such an assumption was widely astray. On the other hand with a difference of 130 feet between the lakes and a further fall of 10 to 20 feet in the Clutba River from Lake Wanaka to the confluence of the two rivers the Hawea River had a total fall of approximately 150 feet from Lake Hawea to the outlet. The stream itself fell regularly, as was. seen from various points on its banks, and, on the above figures averages about 16 or 17 feet to the mile. In the three miles to the Camp Hill bridge from the lake outlet, the fall would be between 48 to 51 feet, which checked closely with the measured figure. As this discrepancy altered the volume of water required for power development to between 300 and 400 heads, the board had this comparison between the two schemes. The Hawea scheme would require an intake to handle 350 heads, the Meg 30 heads; at Hawea a large race would be needed three miles long, at Meg a small pipeline half a mile in length; the Hawea station would have a large slow-speed turbine plant, the Meg small high-speed machines. In no direction could the cost of this development compare with the Meg for cheapness, and unless requirements for power exceed 2500 kw., without going into detailed figures there could be no question which would be the cheaper scheme. After acquainting the chairman with this approximate outline, he decided to call upon the Wanaka representatives and inform them of the facts, and they had now asked the board to consider the possibilities of power supply by the most economical source. lie had sent forward a map of the district upon which they agreed to mark the possible consumers and loadings to enable a more accurate estimate of the cost to be made. In connection with the Roaring Meg development the board considered that the chief electrical engineer should be interviewed, and it was arranged . that the chairman and engineer-manager should meet him. during his forthcoming visit south. With reference to the engineer-man-ager’s investigation of the possibilities of the Hawea scheme, it was decided, that

a letter be forwarded to the Wanaka Progress League giving the full details' of the report. The report was received. CORRESPONDENCE. A circular letter was received, from the Otago Electric Power Board asking for the board’s support in approaching the Government with a request for a reduction in interest.—The board considered that a reduction in, interest charges would help the finances considerably, and it was decided to support any constitutional steps that might be taken towards this. end. Accounts amounting to £3227'‘is. 8d were passed for payment. -;V» ■ At the . conclusion. of ~thq - business, the chairman extended; the compliments of the season to the members and staff.