ELECTRIC POWER DEMAND

Southland Times, Issue 24354, 7 February 1941, Page 6

ELECTRIC POWER DEMAND

STEAM STATION AT EVANS BAY RUN DIFFICULTY OF BUILDING UP COAL STOCKS (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 6. The present difficulty in meeting demands for electric power is indicated by the continued running of the steam station at. Evans Bay, even though at this time of the year the demand is low in comparison with winter loading. In their statement of the position at Auckland, members of the Auckland Power Board emphasized the difficulty of building up coal stocks. The problem as it affects Evans Bay is different The furnaces are part coal and part oil fired, all the output over 10,000 kilowatts being from an oil fired boiler. The stock of coal aimed at is 15,000 tons, but little progress is being made in building up even this small stock. During the past winter the monthly bills for oil fuel ran towards £20,000 and it is regarded as certain that the station will have to run all out during the winter. The probability of a restriction on the use of power, particularly for ornamental night advertising and street and highway lighting and for water heating, is freely spoken of as alternative to the rationing of power. An extension of daylight saving could assist substantially in meeting the position, for the reduction in the peak demand may amount to 20,000 to 25,000 kilowatts. Though restrictions in the use of power for water heating could effect the total saving, in the North Island thousands of homes have no alternative and electrical water heating is regarded as essential on dairy farms so equipped. Moreover, there will be great difficulty in exercising effective control short of cutting out water heating wholly. HEAVY DEMAND FOR COAL OUTPUT FROM MINES INCREASING (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 6. “Coal supplies from New Zealand mines are increasing, not decreasing,” said Mr T. O. Bishop, secretary of the New Zealand Coalmine Owners’ Association, today. He pointed out that the trouble in obtaining sufficient coal was due to the heavily increased demand for New Zealand produce. Mr Bishop’s attention was drawn to statements made at Auckland recently that the Auckland Electric Power Board, in common with other power boards, was short of coal and a shortage might result in restrictions in the use of electricity. “Actually,” said Mr Bishop, “New Zealand mines were producing more coal than in former years, but the Auckland Power Board was now a consumer of a very much greater quantity of coal than it ever required before, because of the inability of the hydro-electric plants to cope with the demand for power.” The railways, said Mi’ Bishop, were also making extra demands on New Zealand coal mines, one of the reasons being the inability to import Australian coal, and another the increased freight loads, due to military requirements. Petrol restrictions also made for a greater coal consumption. The New Zealand collieries had been called upon to supply extra coal for power for the railways and gas and this had affected other consumers. There was no doubt that the utmost resources of the coal mines, particularly ! in the North Island, would be taxed in ' the current year.