OPUNAKE POWER BOARD

Opunake Times, 17 August 1948, Page 3

OPUNAKE POWER BOARD

ENGINEER'S REPORT NEW BULK LINE IN USE The Electrical Engineer, Mr. E. G. Snell, reported for July as follows : P&we? Supply Power supply generally has been very satisfactory this month. althouQ\h there were three interruptions to Government Supply, totalling approximately 9 hours. Two of these were prearranged shut-downs, on Sunday the 11th and on the 28th, to enable urgent maintenance work to be carried out by the State Hy-dro-Electric Department, at Stratford Sub-station. The third interruption caused by a fault on the main transmission lines, near Awapuni at 12.30 p.m., on Sunday the 18th, caused considerable damage at the Power station, tbe coupling belts on both machines being smashed to pieces. On this occasion the plant was out of operation for approxinatelv 5 hours, until repairs were effected. Supply on this occasion was taken over by the State Hydro-Electric Department ana* there was little inconvenience to consumers.

Record generation figures are reported as a result of steady river flow throughout the month. 211,958 units were generated, an increase oi 57,307 over the corresponding month last year. Units purchased ex Te Kin were 487,240, making the total units purchased and generated, 699,198 or 52,682 more than in July, 1947. Unit consumption over the latter portion of the month, showed a sharp increase'and for the week ending August was approximatelv 25,000 units above" our allocation. I believe this may be at'tributed to the earlier milking season being experienced this year. Distribution and Maintenance I am pleased to report the completion of the wiring of the new bulk supply line from Te Kiri to Rahotu. There now remains the change over of the low tension lines to the new poles and the substitution of 11 K.Y. transformers in place of the 6.6 K.V. units now in service. It is expected that the new substation will be livened and placed in service .by meeting, day. New 3 phase 11 K.V. transformers have been erected at the County crusher, Kiri Road and at Gilmor's, Ngariki Road. Single phase transformers have been removed from Bloxham's, Kiri Rd; Scott's, Wiremu; and Clement's, Wiremu. The two latter have been replaced with temporary 11 K.V. 3 phase transformers. Advice has been received that the balance of the 11 K.V. transformers required for our new line have arrived in New Zealand but pending their arrival arrangements have been made to use temporarily a batch of locally made units. These will all be replaced later. Work on lines this month has included the erection of the following service lines: — Three phase range service, Waiteika Rd; Opunake ; Bayly Rd; Pungarehu (2); Patiki Rd; No. 4 Staff House, Heapy Rd; Rahotu; Waitino Rd. Milking shed services were erected to Patiki Rd; Kahuißd; Rahotu (3). Pump services to Rahotu, and a service to a batch in Opunake. Alterations have been made to the service on the Egmont County crusher, Te Kiri, and several services on the Kahui Road have had poles erected to give increased P. and T. clearance. 55 trouble calls were attended to. Installations and Inspections Another record has been established thi s month as 185.466 K.W. of connected load has been put on this month. 51 permits for wiring work were issued and 63 inspections made. 16 meters were tested and 50 new meters installed ; 15 were charged because of increased loading and 1 removed.

In view of the increasing amount of work in this department, applications are being called for an additional inspectorserviceman, who will be able to make a start on overdue reinspection work and assist in the increasing volume of servicingnow required as a result of the expansion of the Board's trading activities. ' Housing ; Although rain fell every day in July and working conditions have been as bad as they could he, good progress has been made with No. 4 Staff House, most of the constructual details have been completed and it shoxild be ready for occupation at an early date. No. 5 house has arrived and is on the site. Permits have been (Continued foot of. next column)

received for the erection of a garage and two sheds, but serious limitations have been imposed in respect of materials that can be used for these buildings.