POWER SHORTAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26200, 10 July 1946, Page 4

POWER SHORTAGE

CUTS NOW DOUBLED PROBLEMS OF SUPPLY AUTHORITIES CP.AJ WELLINGTON, July i). In connection with the latest instruction to power boards and supply authorities from the State Hydro-electric Department regarding power supply, it is understood that the order is to impose cuts in consumption double those which have been in operation since last March. It is considered doubtful whether, in some country districts, the required .savings can be achieved without serious disruption of essential services. The standard allocation fixed by the department at the beginning of this year allowed to each authority, each week 3 per cent, more units than the greatest number it had consumed in any of the corresponding weeks of 1943, 1944 or 1945. The increase of 3 per cent, was intended to meet the extra demand arising from connections to new houses, hospitals and industries which the authorities, by law. are required to make. It was stated at the time that the allocation would be subject to review, and that as conditions demanded, the load despatcher at Hamilton, on behalf of the Electricity Controller, might call for reductions in accordance with three schedules. In the case of each authority the reduction under shedule 2 would be double that required under shedule 1, and the redution under schedule 3 would be three times that required under schedule 1. It is believed that a general order has now been given for the imposition ot schedule 2.

Some authorities have already been forced to cut off the supply for three hours a day in order to keep to schedule 1. It is considered that to achieve the saving now required under schedule 2. they may, in many cases, have to cut off power for six hours a day. Their difficulties are accentuated by the fact that in a number of districts country hospitals and other essential services are not on separate feeders, and therefore cannot be given a continued supply while the rest of the area is cut off.

Asked to comment on the situation, the secretary of the Electric Power Boards’ Supply Authorities' Association, Mr N. G. Dunning, said that the problem of carrying out the direction of the State Hydro-electric Department to reduce consumption was one for tne local supply authorities concerned. They had repeatedly warned the Government in the past that the present shortage was coming, and they had recently urged that the current 16 per cent, cut in broadcasting hours should be increased to 50 per cent., but their request had not been met. The only immediate solution, Mr Duning said, would be the production of more coal for the fuel burning plants at Auckland and Wellington. If there were ample fuel available for those plants, he doubted whether any cuts would be necessary.