OTAGO ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3698, 27 January 1925, Page 9

OTAGO ELECTRIC POWER BOARD.

rhe Otago Electric Pow r er Board met on Tuesday, and was attended by Messrs Jasper Clark (chairman). P. Briscoe, F. Carson, H. M. Driver, W. B. Galloway, and R. R. Stewart.

The Works Committee reported that tenders had been called for sub-station and distribution transformers and for service meters and testing equipment. These would close on February 9, 1925. Tenders had also been called for a store building on the board’s section in White street, and the committee recommended that the lowest tender, that of the Fletcher Construction Co. for £1979, be accepted. Tho transport equipment had been strengthened by the delivery of the .Ford truck, on which a local body had l>eon built. The contractors had executed tho work to the board’s requirements, and had made a really first-class job of it. The two Renault chassis were expected shortly, and the committee recommended that the engineer be empowered to call for tenders for the building of the bodies necessary for the board's work. The main transmission route for the southern area hail been flagged, and the work on the northern section was in hand. No notification had so far been received of the shipment of poles and the shipping trouble may cause some delay. The committee recommended that inquiries should be made as to the possibility of letting sections of this work by contract. As it might be necessary to store poles at various railway stations during the period of construction, the committee recommended that the engineer be empowered to negotiate with the railway authorities for the necessary space. The report was adopted. The report of the Finance Committee and the recommendations of the payment of accounts amounting to £415 9s lOd was adopted. The engineer submitted the following report (abridged) as requested by tho previous meeting of the board on the question of the terms and condition of supply and the wiring of premises, sale of power and appliances: (a) Charges for Electricity.—ln formulating any scale of charges for the supply of electricity the two main considerations are (1) the cost of giving service, and (2) the adoption of a rate which will return an adequate revenue to the supply authority and at the samo time offer all classes of consumer? sufficient inducement to use the oornmodity. In preparing the proposed scale of charges for this district I have been influenced to a considerable extent by the ever-increasing scope of applications for the utilisation of electricity in domestic and industrial circles, as evidenced in the majority of supply areas in the dominion, and also by the indication that this board intends to use every endeavour to popularise the use of the commodity in this district The system submitted is one whereby an assured revenue is obtained for the board by means of a fixed annual capacity charge based on the maximum demand imposed by the consumer on the supply system, supplemented by a unit charge depending upon the amount of power consumed. The system is one involving the use of a minimum number of meters, and is fairly simple onco the principles have been explained. (b) Service Mains on Consumers’ Property.—ln all cases the first chain of service mains within the consumer’s boundary fence line shall be erected by the board free of charge. All extra length of service mains required shall be charged for at cost price unless the revenue estimated to be obtained from the actual sale of electricity contracted for by the consumer at schedule rates at the time of connection is not less than £lO, in which case one extra chain of mains will be erected free of charge by the board. For each additional £5 of revenue, estimated as above, the consumer will be entitled to an extra chain of service mains free of charge if required. Wiring of Premises. Sale of Tower and Appliances.—ln connection with the salo of power several boards have successfully inaugurated an active campaign for tho direct sale of appliances to the consumer, with the result that an increased demand for power for domestic and other uses has considerably increased the revenue in the fearly stages of the undertaking, which condition. under the circumstances, may not have been realised until a later period. As this later phase of the sale of power involves an increased capital outlay the following alternative suggestions are submitted for your consideration:— (a) Tho appointment of qualified canvassers bv whom the district would be thoroughly canvassed for installation work; the board to enter into a signod agreement with each consumer for the wiring of his installation by a contracting firm which would acl as a subcontractor to the board. Tenders would be called by advertisement and let on the group system at the best price, tho work to be completed within a specified time. Under this arrangement any reputable trading firm would be free to

undertake the sale of domestic and other appliances within the district. (b) The board to undertake the canvass of of the district as in (a), the canvassers being qualified to instruct consumers in the ap piication of electricity to their various requirements. The board subsequently to open show rooms in suitable localities and to undertake the demonstration and sale of equipment to its consumers: free expert advice by the board’s engineering staff as to the best types of equipment and methods of utilisation to be available to consumers, the board to finance consumers cn installations and equipment as required. Charges for Electric Light and Power.— Power for lighting will be charged for by levying a capacity charge plus a unit chargevarying with amount consumed. For private dwellings, shops with private residences attached, boarding houses, hotels, ere.

The engineer’s report was adopted, section (b) of the sale of power and appliances recommendation being selected as the policy to be sustained, a special committee, consisting of the chairman, Messrs Stewart, Briscoe, and Galloway bein'” appointed to go into the various details and report to a special meeting of the board on January 27. It was resolved that Mr Carson be empowered to open negotiations with Kailangaia Borough Council for the taking over of that borough’s reticulation. The town clerk (Milton) wrote informing the board that the Milton Borough Council was prepared to hand over its contract for the supply of energy to the hoard upon the ratification of the agreement between the Dunedin City Corporation and the board.