FUEL AND POWER OUTLOOK

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22659, 12 July 1945, Page 4

FUEL AND POWER OUTLOOK

With average temperatures below normal and with electricity, coal and oil in extremely short supply the winter of 1945 will be remembered by many people. If cold weather continues—and the full severity of the winter has not necessarily been reached—substantial economy in the demands upon the supply of electricity is the only alternative to further complete “blackout” periods. In some areas the allotted quota of power has recently been exceeded by as much as 20 per cent. Apart from economy, no remedy has been put into effect. Electric current is apparently being generated to the limit of the capacity of the hydro plants. Increased production of coal is still the only immediate answer. An adequate supply of coal would not only make possible steam generation of electricity but would to a considerable extent become an alternative to electric heating. There is no news of any special national effort to improve the production of coal on the necessary scale. From the long-term point of view it is evident that New Zealand, and probably other countries, will find it necessary with the return of peace to develop an alternative to coal as a source of power, heat and light to a far greater extent. There is no indication that the coal mines in the years to come will be equal to the task. Hydroelectricity, on the other hand, is only at the beginning of its development. The picture has been presented of ten generating stations on the Waikato River alone. When labour is available thousands of men will be employed on these projects. It will be possible when the schemes are developed to supply electricity at rates considerably lower than at present. The burden is evidently too heavy for coal miners to bear and New Zealand is fortunate that it is richly endowed with the means of hydro-electric generation. Perhaps another year will elapse before the hydro plants materially increase the supply of power, but from that stage the demand is certain to result in a great expansion which will remove the “bottleneck” which has for years been hampering industry. In the meantime it is necessary to economise seriously if periods of total deprivation of power are to be avoided.