ELECTRIC POWER

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 99, 21 April 1933, Page 8

ELECTRIC POWER

Central Hawke’s Bay Area BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING HELD THIS MORNING The monthly meeting of the Central Hawke’s Bay Electric Power Board was held this morning. Mr. A. C. Russell presiding over the following members: Messrs. W. H. Rath bone, A. C. Holms, A. W. S. Longley, R. A. Fraser, M. Ryan, J. A. Kerr, F. J. Witherow, and C. Pattison. The secretary-manager (Mr. G. E. Fowler) and tie engineer (Mr. J. K. Lee) were in attendance. Secretary-Manager’s Report The secretary-manager of the Central Hawke's Bay Electric Power Board (Mr. G. E. Fowler) submitted the following report:— Since the last meeting of the board, the reading of meters throughout the area has been in progress. Owing to one of our readers being called away through family sickness, the country area reading has been somewhat hindered, and the figures for that area are not yet available. The value of the electricity-sold in the Waipukurau area for the two months ending March 31st, was £B4l 5s 2d, as against £902 6s 3d for the corresponding period in the previous year. The maximum demand on the department for energy for the quarter ending March 31st, 1933, was 752.4 K.V.A. costing £1604 16s, as compared with 781.2 K.V.A. costing £1662 Bs, for the same period in 1932. So soon as the readings are all finalised, and the year’s position available, the same will be placed before members for their consideration. The following is the fault return for the month of March:—Waipawa Borough.— (54 lamps): Replacements for the' month totalled 5, of which 4 were bracket, being 15.39 per cent, of the total bracket lights installed, and 1 was suspension, being 3.57 per cent, of the total suspension lights installed. This is an average of 9.25 per cent, as against 11.11 per cent, in February, and 7.4 0 per cent., in January. One community light was replaced. Waipukurau Borough. — (96 lamps): During the month, a total of 16 lights were replaced, of which 12 w£re bracket, being 14.28 per cent, of the total bracket lamps installed, and 4 were suspension, being 33.33 per cent, of the total suspension lights in use. This is an average of 16.66 per cent, as against 26.04 per cent, in February, and 13.00 per cent, in January. Amount charged for attention to fault totalled 2/6. Country Area.— (32 lamps): Lamps replaced in the country area totalled 6, all of which were bracket lights, being 2 3.07 per cent, of the total bracket lights. This gives an average of 1.8.75 per c at. as against 2.77 per cent, in February, and 16.66 per cent, in January. Miles travelled totalled 49. Ordinary Faults. —Ordinary faults attended to totalled 24, while 512 miles were covered by the faultsmen. Engineer's Report The Engineer (Mr. J. K. Lee) submitted the following report:— Work has consisted mainly of replacing the copper clad steel on the main Takapau feeder, and this length is now completed to its most southerly point opposite Mr. W. Hobson’s on the Main Road. In replacing the last section of this line, it was necessary to shut down very frequently, but the consumers were very patient and complaints of inconvenience very few. As far as the southern area is concerned, there now remains to be replaced a section approximately a mile in length on the Ashcott Road and the cross country run to Otawhao three and three-quarters miles in length. The former is now in hand, and I propose to leave the latter until the milking season has finished, so that consumers will not be inconvenienced, there being no alternative route by which they can be supplied. Opportunity has been taken of the removal of lines to insert into the reticulation, several additional high tension switches for the better operation of the lines in the event of breakdowns, and some were made necessary by the installation of the several tie lines. It is now necessary, owing to the fact that the southern area is more or less ring fed, that a plan be prepared with miniature switches in position, and if any switches are operated, it will be necessary for the

officer, manipulating them to record on the plan the position, whether shut or open, that the switch is left in. This is necessary for the reason that a line might be fed from two or perhaps three other lines, and without some check as to the position of switches, as accident might easily occur. The high winds experienced during the Easter holidays kept the staff very busy attending to faults , which were mainly of a minor nature, such as blown fuses both low and high tension, but were very numerous.