VALLEY ELECTRICITY.

Thames Star, Volume LIX, Issue 16800, 31 May 1926, Page 5

VALLEY ELECTRICITY.

CLOSE OF SIXTH YEAR. SIGNS OF PROGRESS. ALL-ROUND INCREASE. The annual report to the Thames Valley Power Board of its engineer, Mr W. G. McLeod, indicates a most satisfactory rate of progress of this eminently successful trading concern. The report is as follows: I beg to submit my report upon the operations of the Board for the year ending 31st. March, 1526 this being the sixth year since the Board’s constitution, and the fifth in which power has been made available by the Board to its consumers. It is satisfactory to record a considerable growth in the demand for power throughout the and a more than corresponding increase in the revenue received. The figures tabulated herewith indicate the' position regarding the different sections of the Board’s work.

Some important items to record for the year are the connection by the Public Works Department of the supply • from McLaren’s Falls to the Horahora supply at Waikino, the doubling of the capacity of Waihou sub-station, the commencement of theinterconnecting 50,000-volt line from Bombay to Waikino, and the provision of synchronous condensers in the Matamata, Morrinsville and Hauraki Plains areas.

The connection of the Tauranga supply, although completed only in December, 1925, has certainly been of considerable advantage to the Board, but the 50,000-volt loop line across the Hauraki Plains will be of inestimable benefit in giving greater freedom from stoppages due to defects on the Government and our own systems.

The greater part of the materials and plant for the synchronous condenser stations is now in hand, and a start has been made on their erection These machines, by .increasing the power factor, will reduce the cost of power per kilowatt of maximum demand, and will also give better voltage regulation to the consumers further away from the main feed points.

The danger which may result from fallen live wires has received considerable thought, and in addition to the Board’s policy of earthing fences, provision is being made to ■ install special sensitive apparatus to cut off supply in such an emergency. An increase in the number of transformers is noted as follows:

Te 'Aroha, No., 38; . K.V.A., 402; Paeroa, 13, 453; Matamata, 36, 170. Totals, 87, 1025. The average capacity of the transformers in operation is 20.9 K.V.A. Included in the 11,000-3300 volt transformers are those used for supplying the Boroughs of Thames and Te Aroha in bulk, at a pressure of 3300 volts.

The number of consumers receiving supply from the Board’s system is as follows:

Flat Rate Consumers: 1925, 1920; 1926, 2420; increase for year, 26 per cent; meter rate consumers: 1441, 1712, 18.8 per cent.; Thames Borough Consumers: 955, 1001, 4.8 per cent.; Te Aroha Borough Consumers: 578, 602, 4.2 per cent. Total: 4894, 5735, 17.2 per cent. The following motors were in operation in the Board’s district (Thames and Te Aroha,Boroughs not included): Motors: Milking Machine, 1926, No. 1422; 1925, No., 1083; increase for the year, No., 31.5; General Farm: 190, 130, 46.2; Industrial, 334, 295, 13.2; Total: 1946, 1508, 29.1. The average power of all motors is 3.11 K.W., or 4.17 h.p. Included in the above list of motors are those used by the following: Dairy factories, 1926, 17; 1925, 16; quarries, 9,7; flaxmills, 4,3; sawmills, 3,3; Public Works Department workshops, 2,2; dredges, 1; gold-mining companies, 1, 1. Heating, Cooking and Water-heaters, Board’s Consumers, heating and cooking: K.W. installed, 1926, 2624; 1925, 1840; increase, 42.6; Board’s waterheaters, 535, 150, 257.0; Thames Borough: 679, 600, 13.2; Te Aroha Borough: 424, 394, 7.6. Totals: 4262, 2984, 42.8. Power. Board’s Consumers: 6063, 4926, 23.1; Thames Borough: 404, 341, 18.5; Te Aroha Borough, 245, 241, 1.7. Totals: 6712, 5508, 21.9. Grand totals: 12,873, 10,087, 27.6. The connected load of 12,873 K.W. to 31st. March, 1926, is approximately 17,250 h.p. The figures given under the other headings all show a satisfactory tendency but one, viz., the average power factor, which decreased from .862 in the previous year to 0.852 for this past year. The introduction of the synchronous condensers, however, should materially improve matters for the year ending March 31st., 1927. I have to acknowledge the valuable assistance and advice rendered by all Board members, and in particular that of Mr F. H. Claxton, our chairman, whose mature judgment has been of such benefit to the Board.

The report also included figures showing the consumption of power for the past five years.