COLERIDGE POWER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20041, 2 September 1920, Page 2

COLERIDGE POWER.

ANOTHER PROFITABLE YEAR. REMARKABLE SAYINGS TO PUBLIC. [From Ora Correspondent.‘j Y'ELLINGTON, September 1. the Lake Coleridge electrical power scheme has had another prosperous ‘■ear, hot only paying all expenses but giving big advantages to th o p eoT) ] e of Canterbury. The Minister of Public tv oiks, the Hon J. G. Coates, gate a representative of the “Star” the following details of results obtained by the Lake Coleridge electric power plant tor the tinancial year ended March 31: The load on the power-house in* ereasea during the year from 2,199 kilo. -moo i (73 '° £•»•) to '066 kilowatts ,J420 h.p.), the rated plant capacity being 6000 kilowatts (8000 h.p.i ft was thus running at the end of the year at an overbad of 1036 kilowatts, or 17 per cent. Tb© capital outlay in- » % year from £403,157 0 the increase being mainly m making provision for a new generator of 4000 h.p. now being installed, i Ihe revenue for the year was £45,831, tnd the expenses as follow : £ . Working expenses 17 759 Interest _ . . 16,863 'depreciation reserve . 7,624 | Total . . . £42.246 I The result of the year’s operations is ! thus a net profit of £3585 Wards re- ! ducing the deficit on the four previous y orKln ?- This result is very sat.factory, says the Minister. From other points of view, the results have been even more satisfactory The output for .the year from the powerhouse was over 33,000,000 units. To have generated this in a large economical steam plant using the class of coal now available would have taken 45 000 bten WO / th from £IOO,OOO to £■120,000 but steam plants that have actually been replaced by Lake Coleriag&, power, were, by no means as effluent as is assumed above for a uodern economical power plant ind m practical running they acmally* consumed up to three or jour times the above amount of coal. ■n adf 7, lon tn . oil, kerosene and petrol, thus the saviu'g in fuel to the puhlb of Canterbury is probably in the ncielibourhood of £300,000, for which they have paid to the Department £45,831. or, allowing for distributing costs of Ini n?Y»n Tet Nn ing , ■ al ’ 'boritics. about nJll’iis / hj, nping md handling ilone of 45,000 foils of coal per yoar linvo been n large item. 'The comfort that has been given in ten thousand homes, the increasing efficiency in dozens of workshops.and far- ■ tones, and the security and reliability pf the hydro-electric power supply durmg the trying period of railway restrictions oro advantages of even greater importance to the consumers than the cash saving of £200.000, i