ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1925, Page 12

ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY

OPUNAKE AREA YEAR’S WORK REVIEWED. The monthly meeting of the Opunake Electric Power Board was held at Opunake on Friday. There were present: Messrs. C. A. Trotter (chaii'man), E. A. Collins, J. P. Burton, J. S. Tosland, J. Hickey, T. H. H. Sinclair, W. L. F. Chambers, J. N. Stephenson (secretary), and C. M. Stowers Crowley (engineer)". With reference to the claim for compensation made by Mr. Mitchell, in connection with which the chairman and Mi. Sinclair had. been appointed to interview the claimant, the chairman reported that a solution had been reached by arranging to replace the destroyed cow with a heifer, the cost to the board being £6.—The arrangement was approved by the board, ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mb’. C. M. Stowers Crowley) reported as follows: —During the month the construction gang have been employed on the pole lines in the Warea district. It is expected to reach the Puniho Road within the next week. A start will then be made on the Warea Road. Poles.—Our next lot of poles has not yet left Australia, although they were due to arrive here last month. Unless these poles can be delivered within the next fortnight, no further work can be done on the outer area. One hundred 26ft silver pine poles were trucked to the Watino Road, and 27 of these have been laid out on the Upper Watino Road extension, and the remainder will be required for the extension on the Tipoka Road. The Nopera Road line was livened on the 27th April, and a further seven consumers have been connected. In reviewing the past year’s work it will be seen that the growth of this scheme has been remarkable. Many difficulties were encountered in the beginning, and the service was somewhat unsatisfactory. Defective insulators, together with service climatic conditions, contributed mainly to the above, and it entailed much labour and expense before good results were obtained. High maintenance costs have been due partly to the exposed nature of the main lines, and partly to the failures of both high tension insulators and primary fuse gear. These troubles are now at an end, and the present year should see a big reduction in running expenses. Plant and Headworks.—Excellent results have been obtained from this portion of your undertaking, and the operating charges have been exceptionally low. Very dry weather has been experienced, and there has always been a plentiful supply of water. One generating set has been sufficient to carry the load up to the present, but the coming spring should see both units in operation. A continuous service has been maintained, and only on one occasion was it found necessary to shut down for repairs. These w T ere carried out without the least inconvenience to consumers. Cooking Load.—lt was found necessary to place restrictions on this load, on account of the distribution transformers and secondary mains being on the small side. It is yet possible to extend our operations in this direction, providing it does not interfere with the milking load, j In pointing out that the returns per k.v.a. of maximum demand on stoves is only about one-third that of milking motors and in view of the fact that there seems every possibility of reaching the- full output of the plant with milking -motors, every care requires to be exercised in extending this load.’ Peak Load.—The peak load occurred on Tuesday, February 10, at 5 a.m. The demand on the generating units at that time was 200 k.w. The reason of its being as late as February was because of the bulk supply to Kaponga. This supply to Kaponga was also the cause of considerably reducing the return per k.v.a of maximum demand per annum, on account of its lasting only a few months. Output. —The total units generated for the year ending March 31, 1925, amount to 461,000. During the winter months the demand for power is very low. This position could be improved somewhat by making a reduction in the heating charges, which would, I am sure, tend to popularise the use of electric radiators.

Consumers. —The total connections up to March 31 are as follows:—Lighting and heating, 412, representing 200 k.w.; milking motors, 100, representing 175 h.p.; industrial motors, 12, representing h.p.; dairy factory motors, 12, representing 145 h.p. The demand for milking motors is still keen, and there is no doubt they have given every satisfaction in the past. • Extensions.—Twenty-one miles of line have been constructed during the last year, and further extensions involving the whole of the Warea district have been commenced. Regarding the latter extension, I might add that this work is being pushed on with all possible haste. If it is possible to obtain the necessary wire in New Zealand, there is every hope of completing this work by the end of July. A total of seven men are employed, including the three permanent hands. The report was adopted. The question of the supply of heating power was discussed, the matter of revising the scale of charges being referred to the chairman, secretary and engineer. The chairman, engineer and Mr. Burton were appointed to investigate the possibilities of avi’anging for the supply of various electrical requisites to be sold under the direction of the board, and report to the next meeting. SUPPLEMENTARY LOAN. The formal resolutions authorising the raising of the supplementary loan of £7OOO from the Public Trust Office, appropriating the special rate of 1 33-64 d, provision of £l4O annually, covering interest and sinking fund charges, and authorising the signing of debentures, and the sinking fund deed, were finally passed in accordance with the requirements of the Public Trust Office. Mr. Tosland moved that a remit be forwarded to the annual conference of the Electric Power Boards of New Zealand. asking that some decision be arrived at so that a settlement could be reached on the most economical basis concerning the reticulation of roads where such marked the boundary of respective power board’s areas. Tn seconding, Mr. Chambers said he favoured the marking of boundaries by> block divisions. Mr. Sinclair thought that power boards could mutually arrange which should reticulate boundary roads, but it was pointed out by the engineer that provision for this was not made in the Act. LINES ON CONSUMER'S PROPERTY. E. Sole (Warea) wrote asking if in the event of power being taken, the beard would make .any concession in the expense of erecting a line from the road-

way to the milking shed and one of the houses, a distance of about 35 chains. I The letter explained that a 10-cow plant would be used, and possibly 18 lights would be installed in the houses, and, in view of the large consumption which would be entailed, asked for favourable consideration of the request. The chairman explained that in accordance with the Act the board could not reticulate beyond 60ft from its own lines. Replying to Mr. Burton, the engineer said the power which would probably be consumed would entail an approximate charge of £7O annually. Mr. Burton estimated that in such a case the board should endeavour to meet the consumer as far as possible. After further discussion, the engineer was instructed to furnish the applicant with particulars concerning cost of erecting the line, pointing out what saving could be effected by the applicant supplying the necessary poles. EQUIPMENT INSTALLATIONS. Mr. J. T. White, representing Messrs. J. B. Mac Ewan and Company, waited on the board with reference to its notification to intending consumers in the Warea area that the board intended to call tenders for light and power installation, and that in the meantime no representatives of the board were in the area, and statements concerning such, made by persons other than the officers of the board, did not have the board’s guarantee. Mr. White wished to know whether the board was raising objection to the operation of his firm, which had, he contended, endeavoured to work in their common interests when arranging to supply requisites. He pointed out that in accordance with arrangements made with customers of his firm, no charge was being made for the installations until such time as the power actually reached them. The chairman explained that it was the intention *of the board to call tenders on the block system for the installation of motors. As representatives of the consumers, the board had to watch their interests and see that as far as possible arrangements most favourable to them were made available/' By calling tenders the benefit of competition would be received, and requirements 1 could be met on the most economical and satisfactory basis. During the ensuing discussion it was pointed out that the board did not question the integrity of the particular firm, but objected to the new territory being canvassed by an outside firm beI fore the board, while awaiting the authoiity to reticulate the new area, was in a legal position to place proposals re--1 garding plant requisites or wiring before [ consumers or to call tenders for such work. Mr. Sinclair stressed the point that sales of motors had been made before the board had received applications for power supply. I Mr. Chambers said that in treating the matter of private firms supplying ' motors or wiring, the board must con- ' sider whether it could itself undertake 1 such work, including maintenance, or | whether it would not be a better arrangement to leave it to a reliable firm which could be depended upon to give ' satisfactory service to consumers, thus relieving the board of responsibility in the matter. | Mr. Tosland stated that the stand taken by the board concerning the Warea area was the only one possible in the interests of ratepayers and consumers, i and there was no reason why the action should be retracted in any way. I This opinion was unanimously agreed to. it being intimated that further consideration would be given to the aspect of the question raised by Mr. Chau** bers. —Stai>