ELECTRIC-POWER BREAK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 289, 7 December 1939, Page 8

ELECTRIC-POWER BREAK

FAULT AT ARAPUNI FARMERS RETURN TO HANDMILKING I Per pre.s-4 Association ] AUCKLAND, Dec. 6. The whole of the Auckland Province was without electric power for periods varying up to 40 minutes this afternoon, when a fault developed at 3.55 p.m. in one of the most important 110,000-volt switches at the outdoor station at Arapuni. The fault caused a complete shut-down of power at Arapuni. Power was restored to areas south of Auckland when four generators were started at about 4.15 p.m., but these wore not sufficient to carry the Auckland and North Auckland loads. A delay was experienced in synchronising the fifth generator and the full power was not resumed until 4.35 p.m. The break reduced farmers using electric milking plants to working by hand, while in Auckland the stoppage of tram running inconvenienced a number of shoppers. Fortunately, power was restored before the full volume of homeward-bound traffic could cause congestion. City firms without their own generating plants were in a quandary and candles were brought into use in some offices. A number of people were caught in lifts, which had to be lowered before they could be released. 1