NEW POWER STATION

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4218, 1 December 1939, Page 4

NEW POWER STATION

PROPOSAL FOR KARAPIRO. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. The progress being made with the scheme to erect a power station at the “Crow’s Nest” was detailed at the monthly meeting of the Cambridge Electric Power Board on Wednesday evening, when extracts were read from the Public Works Statement. It was revealed that surveys and investigations were resumed in relation to further power schemes in the Waikato River, particularly with reward to a proposed dam-site at Karapiro, near Cambridge. Sub-surface investigations were made on the proposed site at Karapiro, gauges were installed at selected points of the river, and leveling was completed from Arapuni to Cambridge. Work on the Karapiro scheme was taken over by the general branch in November, and a survey party proceeded to Taupo where investigations were also in progress in connection with a diversion channel in the vicinity of the bridge.

A number of test bores had been drilled on each site, and various sections of the river, stated the report. The report was received without comment, other than that the chairman, Mr Mervyn Wells, stated that he understood that the proposal for a power station at Karapiro was to be proceeded with at some future date. KARAPIRO INVESTIGATIONS. Further details of the scheme were contained in a report entitled “Karapiro Investigations.” It was stated that work was (commenced on the preliminary sub-surface investigations in connection with the scheme on September 20, 1938. In the first instance six drives were put in and two shafts were sunk. It was then decided to employ boringmachines, and all plant obtainable was hired. Boring operations commenced on October 11, and had been carried out almost continuously ever since. To date, fifty-six bores had been put down to a total depth of 4812 ft. At present only one plant was on the job, taking bores on the west bank, between the river and the top of the cliff. Another plant was ehgaged in boring at a site in a tertiary deposit approximately a mile down stream from the quarry site. The results obtained from the borings at the quarry site indicated generally that the support for the necessary structures was but that the greywacke contained flji» . tures and cleavages which would ret quire a comprehensive form of grouting to render the rock water-tight. In another report it was stated that maintenance work had been closed down at Arapuni in October, 1938, the men being required for works in connection with the Karapiro investigations. HORAHORA TO BE SUBMERGED. An important statement was made under the section of “Project Work” as follows: “Tests by means of bores and shafts have been made at Karapiro, a few miles above Cambridge on the Waikato River, and it is expected that these will soon be far enough I advanced to allow proposals to be j prepared for a plant to develop 75,000 k.w. to 80,000 k.w. This development (will submerge and absorb Horahora.”