PATEA’S POWER PROBLEM

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1931, Page 10

PATEA’S POWER PROBLEM

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER EXPLAINS.

BULK PURCHASE OR NEW ENGINE.

Serious consideration was given to the report submitted by tlie electrical engineer (Mr. J. O. Cunningham) to the Mayor (Mr. F. Ramsbottom) and councillors at Patea on Monday, when the increasing difiiculty of meeting the demand for power was discussed. The growing unit consumption as a result of the widespread use of modern domestic devices and radios, and the use of the current by garages and meUl workers in welding was daily increasing the load carried by the hydro and Diesel plants, the engineer reported. No more loading of the plant as it existed could be contemplated. The report was: — “In view of the fact of bulk power being available probably early next summer, and while the need for a supplementary supply is rather urgent, I feel sure that, with the increased stream flow which will be available at the hydro during the winter, the present load can be carried through the winter, but steps must be taken to supplement available power before next summer, either by additions to our own station or by buying power in bulk. “With regard to the supply of bulk power from the lines of the South Taranaki Power Board I recommend the following scheme for making the most efficient use of the available power should the council decide on this source of supply. .The quantity needed at the commencement would be 100 k.v.a.

“Supply will be given on the boundary of the council’s supply area and the South Taranaki Power Board’s area at a pressure of 11,000 volts three-phase A.C. The point of supply has not been definitely decided but several localities have been investigated, all of which will necessitate the building of at least one mile of additional line. I would recommend the hydro being changed to threephase so that it could be made use of for peak reducing purposes. “Even in very dry weather it is possible to obtain four or six hours running out of the hydro on practically full load. As the present hydro line is not up to standard it will have to be rebuilt, taking the present route until the road is reached, when it will be brought out along the road and tied in with the main line at Mr. E. P. McCarthy’s corner. This line will be built three-phase. From the Kakaramea factory to the Diesel station all poles will have to be re-armed and at least one new cable run the full distance. Where the cable in use is not up to present regulation size it will require to be renewed. METHODS OF SUPPLY. “With the above additions to the system and by splitting tire transformers between phases, with the addition of a step-down transformer, a bulk supply could be used on the'present low tension lines, due to the present transformers and lines being loaded to the maximum. In the case of lines, due to the low voltage in use (namely 100-230), therefore, I recommend the council to consider changing over to a wholly threephase supply, which is far more efficient, with fewer sub-stations (transformers) than are required under the present system, due to the increased loading possible on lines of given size under a three-phase system. “To accomplish tlfis change-over we have oh the present system two sets of transformers which can be' placed in a bank and used on 3300 three ; phase, in one case making a 75 k.v.a. bank qnd in the other case a 30 k.v.a. bank.” Transformers would be required as follow: 75 k.w. bank at Kakaramea factory using three transformers now in use in various places; 10 k.w. for supply to Tocker, J. H. and J. D. Fairweather and P. S. Gilligan; 30 k.w. at Hadfield Street to feed Storey Town and area between Victoria Street and above Gloucester Street; 50 k.v.a. at Rutland Street to feed all the area between Victoria Street and Surrevy Street; 30 k.v.a. bank using three now in use to feed area in the vicinity of the hospital; 10 k.v.a. to feed northern end of town; 35 to feed Diesel pump motors and lower end of town in that vicinity; 10 k.w. for railway side of river. . To give a really satisfactory service in the event of the need arising for the Diesel engine the generator would need to be changed to three-phase and when the need arose could, be run in parallel with the bulk supply or the hydro. That would be a satisfactory arrangement in that in the event of a failure of the bulk supply for a period both plants would have available 220 h.p. To supply the railway side of the river a high tension crossing would have to be built and a sub-station erected. PLANS FOR “STEP-UP.” In the event of the load being built to a state when 3300 volts was not sufficient pressure to give an efficient service, a step-up to 6600 would be necessary. To arrange for that was a comparatively simple matter as the transformers could be arranged for either voltage and the majority of insulators now on the system were of 6600 volt type. The present pressure, however, would be ample for a number of years. The voltage at consumers’ terminals would be 230 and a 100 volt supply would not be possible under the changed conditions. The engineer therefore recommended that sufficient money be set aside to finance consumers so as to make the necessary change-over and to assist in the building up of load. In that case many new meters would be required. Water heaters would have to be kept off the peak and for that reason time-switches would have to be installed on each heater. “In the event of any difficulties being experienced in obtaining bulk supply I would suggest two alternatives. A generator we have on hand could be placed in the meat works and chain-driven from one of the gas engines. As this generator would not run in parallel with our system a separate high tension line would have to be built from the freezin“T works to our nearest sub-station and a system of switches put in to cut in or out. The line across the river is really a necessity, bu.t any additional line would be added expense. The cost of this work is about £4OO, which would be only temporary. “The other alternative would be the addition of a Diesel set in the station. In this direction I have been in communication with New Zealand Newspapers Ltd., Auckland, which has for sale a Diesel engine of the same size and type as the council’s but coupled to a d.e. generator of 400 volts. . The firm will not sell the engine without the generator and will not quote a price for the engine separate. A new engine and generator will cost about £2500. “I feel sure that the winter load without any more additions can be safely carried on the system but one of the three sources of supply of power must ‘be in use before next summer.” A general discussion of the report and the acute need for more power followed. It was felt that as soon as further power became available a considerable stimulus in the installation of electrical equipment would result, with . an increase of revenue to the council and a cheapening of supply to the consumer. Conditions governing the proposed purchase of power in bulk from the South Taranaki Power Board will be

discussed by representatives of that body and the council during this month. Tho engineer was congratulated on the report, “which showed in unmistakable terms the need for the purchase of power at an early date.” SOUTH HOCKEY MATCHES. ORIENTAL DEFEAT ALHAMBRA. Though heavy rain had made the o-round slippery there was. some good Sockey yesterday when Oriental and Alhambra met at Hawera. Oriental won by four goals to two. The game was fast from start to finish and very even, with Oriental’s strong forward line swinging the issue. For the winners'Moloney (2), Thomson and Windle scored, while Dowdle and J. Watson scored' for the losers. At Manaia Otakeho beat the home team by two goals to one. In a junior game at Hawera Alhambra beat Oriental by 5 goals to one. Manaia ladies beat Tokaora by 5 goals to one.