WANTED: CHEAPER ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20440, 10 June 1936, Page 8

WANTED: CHEAPER ELECTRICAL ENERGY

So many boards have been given the “running shoes,” made famous by the Minister of Transport, that the future control of the distribution of hydro-electrical energy from State-owned generating stations, becomes largely a matter for conjecture. The Government, on its part, has made so much of the conception it cherishes of its duty to the people, in the direction of providing the maximum exploitation of the resources of the country in the interests of the people, that it is not inconceivable that the attention of the Government will one day be turned to the national hydro-electric generating stations. It is by no means certain that the Government will find it easy to discharge the manifold duties that have already been transferred from the shoulders of boards, to the shoulders of controlling Ministers. Deep-rooted and widespreading changes have already been effected by the legislation placed on the statute-book, but it remains to be seen if responsible Ministers will be able, without more expect assistance, to administer the changes in the laws already enacted. For the moment, then, it is most unlikely that the Government will seek the abolition of electric light and power boards, mainly because of the peculiar difficulties confronting each area, and the large financial interests involved. But the decision to refrain from extending the tentacles of State-control to the distribution of hydro-electric energy, does not relieve the Government of its plain and inescapable responsibility as far as the charges the Public Works Department imposes for supplies of hydro-electrical energy. No one would suggest, of course, changes in the scale of charges imposed on district distributing authorities, if the State-owned hydro-electric undertakings were carrying capacity loads. But that is not the case. The great hydro-electric generating station at Waitaki is “running light” even on the generators already installed, while millions of gallons of water are pouring over the dam during the round of the clock. Moreover, there is provision for three more generators, and while this unsatisfactory state of affairs prevails, the customers of the system are not only restricted (because of the scale of charges being too high) in the use they can make of hydro-electrical energy for lighting, heating, and power purposes, but the more expansive development of the distribution of hydro electric energy (which would mean increased revenue to the national purse) is seriously retarded by the price of hydro-electric supplies which ought to be substantially reduced, in view of the vast reservoir of energy yet untapped in the Waitaki scheme.