HYDRO-ELECTRIC GENERATION

Putaruru Press, Volume XXI, Issue 1234, 12 June 1947, Page 2

HYDRO-ELECTRIC GENERATION

STAND-BY STATIONS FOR EMERGENCIES Thames Valley Board Members’ Views The opinion of the majority of the members of the Thames Valley Electric Power Board is that there should l be provided for use ini emergencies and during times of peak loading, a number of stand-by electric power generators throughout the country. The matter was brought up at the June meeting of the board by Mr. W., S. Goosman, M.P for Piako, after Mr C. C. Webb queried the wisdom of building further hydro-electric power stations on the Waikato river. Why go on with building the stations, Mr. Webb asked, if there was not going to be enough Water to drive them? It had been said that there would be plenty of electricity when Karaipiro was completed, but if the water was not going to be . there, the whole of the stations might as well be in his backyard for the amount of .power that would be made from them. Mr. . Goosman said that lack of water could happen any year or every year. The plant that had been put on the river was good, but it would pay to have stand-by plant installed, even if it was seldom used. Mr. N. G. McLeod, engineer to the board, said that with the normal flow the Waikato river was most useful for hydro-electric generation. He too agreed that there should be stand-by plant. The chairman, Mr. J. F. Mayn, said the Government should state its policy regarding stan<j-by plant.

Mr. P. R. Hawke said that the members of Parliament should get the views of power boards on the matter, and then bring it before the House. (Mr. Goosman stated that it would be brought up in Parliament