WAITAKI POWER WORKS

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1931, Page 3 (Supplement)

WAITAKI POWER WORKS

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS. DELAY WITH RIVER SECTION. The hydro-electric. power undertaking on the Waitaki River is at present employing about 900 men.. Considerable progress has been'made during the last few months, and, although work on the river section is behind time, the work on either bank is up to schedule. The cofferdam on the Canterbury .side of the river is now completed to the level of the sluice-ways. The concrete apron extending downstream has proved satisfactory, and a start was made to-day with the withdrawal of pumps and gear located in the basin.

The original schedule of operations provided for the construction of the final section in the river this winter, but it i« now proposed to hold this portion over until next winter. In the meantime that portion of the dam running from the power house to the Otago bank is to be finished, and already one massive block of concrete has been placed in position. The tunnel, which will extend beneath the river at a depth of 25ft., is now under: way. This is called the Hornell Tunnel by those engaged on the work, and is a result of observations made by the Swedish expert, Professor Hornell, when he visited the undertaking. The tunnel-will provide means of laying the concrete foundations for the final section of the dam. A vast amount of excavation work has been done on the tail race, into which light rails have been laid for the haulage of spoil. A network of lines allows of the easy handling of material to all sections of the works. The smooth running of the system is apparent. Huge quantities of concrete are used day . and night. Owing to the varying temperatures, the sand used in the concrete is steam-heated, and braziers are kept alight near the newlyset concrete so as to allow it to set correctly. The power house is easily the most prominent object in the whole works. The whole building is more or less covered in falsework at present, although the underground portion leading to the tail race appears to be practically completed. Work on the outdoor switching station is well ahead.