POWER FROM WAIPORI.

Otago Witness, Issue 3756, 9 March 1926, Page 54

POWER FROM WAIPORI.

FUTURE EXTENSIONS. ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS. mo? row the Electric Power and Lighting Committee will submit the following recommendations with reference to future extensions at Waipori:— For some considerable time careful consideration has been given to the question of the methods to be employed in carrying out future extensions to the power plant at Waipori Falls. It will be recollected that in March, 1924, authority was give to incur expenditure up to £IOOO in com pletiug investigations in regard to this important subject. There were really two alternatives under consideration,, and these may bo briefly described as follows:(«)—The completion of the 110 ft dam at Lake Mnhinerangi and the construction of a largo tunnel some 42 miles in length from the hill adjoining the dam to a point situate at Mill Creek. Berwick, where a suitable site for a power station exists, and finally the construction at Mill Creek of an entirely now powor station with all nocessarv plant for the development of full power available. This proposal would enable a greater development of power than is possible with alternative (b). fb)—(l> The construction of a subsidiary power station of 3000 kw. immediately below the dam to utilise the discharge from the dam.. (2) The cutting of a second tunnel from the weir to the surge chamber and the concrete lining of the prosent tunnel throughout; (3) New pipe line to be laid from tlie surge chamber to the power house and pipe lines Nos. 1. 2 and 3 to be reinforced or partly; if not wholly, renewed; (4) All the present IOOOkw. units in the power station with their transformers to be replaced by 3000 |cw. units; (5) the construction of a short tunnel about 3-8 of a mile in length from o point on the left benk of the river immediately below

the existing power house to a point below the One Mile Bend, and the construction of a subsidiary power station of at least 3000 kw. preferably on the right bank of the river where there is a convenient site accessible from the existing road; (6) the construction of a tunnel of about 5 8 of a mile in length from a point on the right bonk of the river above the Twin Bridges to a point on the right bank 6f the river about 4g miles below the present power house and the construction of a second subsidiary power station of at least 3000 kw. at that point. The ultimate completion of the alternative scheme outlined in (b) will provide a total power capacity of at least 27,000 kw. The Committee, after giving the two proposals most careful consideration, is of opinion that proposal (b) should be approved now by the council as an indication of the plan to be followed by the department in carrying out all future extensions to the power plant at Waipori. As the time has again arrived when it is necessary to consider the augmenting of the power plant, the committee further recommends that authority be granted now to invite tenders for the supply and delivery of the i ew power unit proposed in section (1) of clause (b) —vix., a 3000 kw. unit for installation below the dam. This unit, complete with transformers, .transmission line, etc., is estimated to cost £30,000. Until the work of raising the dam beyond the 60ft level shall have been completed, only 15O0kw will be available, but even this will give a very economical development in addition to many other advantages. The cutting of the second tunnel, the lining of the present tunnel and certain of the proposed work, on the pipe lines, are also matters that will need to receive early attention, if the development of the scheme as now proposed is to proceed without delay as the demands for power necessitate, and the committee desires, therefore, to recom mend that authority be granted now to proceed with the arrangements for getting these works in hand in due course. These should be completed at or about the time when the power is available from the proposed 3000 kw. station at the dam, so that everything will be ready to proceed with the next step in the scheme—viz., the substituting of a 8000 kw. unit for the next 1000 unit in the present power station. The balance of the proposals, as outlined above, would be proceeded with as the demand for power warrants, subject to due authorisation of the expenditure by council from time to time. In the meantime the matter has been remitted to the Finance Committee for report on the financial aspect in terms of the Standing Orders. The Finance Committee reports as follows in connection with toe matter: The rcoort of the Electric Power and Light ing Committee has been remitted to the Finance Committee for report in terms of the Standing Orders. The committee has to report that any further capital outlay required by this department will need to be provided by the raising of a further loan. When the total sum required by the department shall have been determined, the matter of finance will be gone into and further re : ported on to the council.