ELECTRIC POWER.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 23 May 1922, Page 6

ELECTRIC POWER.

. COLERIDGE POWER. ALL WANTED. When the No. 5 unit at the Lake Coleridge hydro-elecbtric powerhouse was put in service towards the end of last month the opinion was pretty generally expressed that it would not be very long before the demand for the additional current would reach the full nominal output of the station. That state of affairs has been 'already reached, though the No. 5 unit has not been in service for quite a month (says the Press). The commissioning of the No. 5 unit brought the nominal capacity of the station up to 9000k.w. from 6000 k.w;, and last Monday the peak load registered was 9100 k.w. —lOOk.w. above the nominal capacity. Prior to the No. 5 unit coming into service, when the nominal capacity wag 6000k.w., the peak load was 7100k.w., and just immediately before the latest unit became available the peak load was as high as 7400k.w. The overload carried when the capacity of the station was only 6000k.w. indicates that the overload on Monday last was so small as to be negligible. It is probable, however, that before the winter ends much higher peak loads will be registered. As regards the No. 6 unit (3000 k.w.) the easing arrived in Christchurch on Tuesday and is now on its way to Lake Coleridge. There is no definite information yet as to whether or not the generators have been shipped from England. Latest reports from the Lake are to the effect that the water level has reached 1662 ft, th e normal level being 1667.5 ft, which indicates a satisfactory state of affairs. Repairs have been effected to the Harper River diversion works, and the river is at present discharging into the lake at the rate of 340 cusecs. Work on the permanent dam is proceeding.