THIRD TURBINE

Opunake Times, 2 April 1948, Page 1

THIRD TURBINE

PROGRESS AT KARAPIRO . NO DELAY EXPECTED Extending* beyond the immediate issue of negotiations to resolve the Mangakino hydro works strike, keen public interest is being taken in the chances of an early completion of the installation work on the No. 3 turbine at Karapiro. At present there does not seem to be undue dangpr of a delay to the operations should the strike spread to Karapiro. because the remaining w*ork is highly skilled and the men engaged on the task are members of the permanent or temporary staffs of the State Hydro-electric Department. They would not be concerned ip apy extension of the industrial trouble, which involves members of the New Zealand Workers’ Union.

Interest lias turned to the Karapiro project because power cuts have already been introduced and uncertainty exists over the Mangakino situation and its possible implications. End of May

There seems to b© no prospects of operating the third Karapiro turbine before the end of May, when it is finished, the extent of its use will depend upon the water position. other two 30,000 kilowatt turbines at Karapiro, the first of which was brought into the reticulation system last winter and the second before Christmas, have been running almost continuously, without the slightest sign of trouble.

The bulk of the actual construction connected with the third turbine has been finished and most of the necessary work* on the generator is approaching th© final stages. The more intricate work of the final assembly will probably begin next week. Although there have been some delays because a few special part* did not ajuive when they were required, it is reported that most of the equipment has been landed from overseas and that it will not be necessary to improvise to the same extent ns for the second turbine. Once the rotor is lowered into the stator, much work will be required to link up the oil pipes, and engineers are not sangtiine of finishing before the scheduled time of late May.