81

D.—l

the actual works cost of generation by the most modern gas plant in the Christehurch drainage-pumping station is 1-1 Id. per unit. In these two cases the proposed rate of 0-66 d. per unit (that is, on a 50-per-cent, load-factor, £12 per kilowatt per annum, or £9 per horse-power per annum) would capture the business with profit to both parties. Allowing for the normal growth in demand, I estimate the demand and the revenue from these sources in five years' time as follows : —

General Motor-power. Coming now to motive power for factories and general purposes, the total existing power in each city, excluding the classes of power already dealt with, is approximately as follows : —

The present output of the municipal electric-supply plants in each city for power purposes, and the charges and revenue per unit, are as follows : —

Considering the low load-factor, the Dunedin charges are too low Eoi general adoption. They are no doubt justified there in order to develop the motor-load; and in special cases, when power is taken largely at periods of very light load, a very low charge is justified. But, the charges for general motor-load operating at a maximum of forty-eight hours per week, and from that down to a few hours per week, as with lifts, the charges should be graded from 3d. down to -|d. per unit to yield an average revenue of 2d. per unit distributed, or ljd. per unit at the substation, in order to give a satisfactory return. In the cities where the power is distributed by the local authorities this would still leave a reasonable margin of profit to those bodies in retailing at an average of 2d. per unit to cover the cost of distributing-network. Large consumers taking power direct from the various substations or the

Wellington. Auckland. Christchurch. Dunedin. 'umping,— Maximum horse-power Maximum kilowatts .. Units used per annum Revenue [arbour requirements,— Maximum horse-power .Maximum kilowatts . . Units per annum Revenue lailway workshops,— Maximum horse-power Maximum kilowatts .. Units per annum Revenue 'otal output 'otal revenue Lverage load-factor (per (tent.) la.ximum load (kilowatts) 1,200 900 3,960,000 £11,000 600 150 1,180,000 £4,900 200 150 330.000 £1,380 5,470,000 £17,280 57 1,100 800 600 2,640,000 £7.350 500 375 980.000 £4,100 160 120 260,000 £1,080 3,880,000 £12,530 60 740 600 150 • 1,980,000 £5,500 500 375 980,000 £4,loo 600 450 980,000 £4,100 3,940,000 £13,700 55 810 400 300 1,320,000 £3,680 500 375 980,000 £4,100 40( 3(X 1,320,0(X £3,68( 50( 37f 980,001 £4,10( 36( 27( 590,00( £2,46( 2,890,00( £10,24f 5< 56( 360 270 590,000 £2,460 2,890,000 £10,246 59 560 I

Steam-engine Gas and oil Electric motors .. Wellington. 10,200 6,420 5,200 Auckland. • 10,000 5,900 1,400 Christchurch. 7,600 3,140 2,250 i Dunedin. 7,000 2,100 6,200 21,820 17,300 12,990 15,300 I

Horse-power of motors connected . . Units sold for power purposes Load-factor of motors (per cent.) .. Charges per unit Total revenue Average revenue per unit sold Units per rated horse-power per annum Wellington. , Auckland. Christchurch. Dunedin. 2,937 .. 520 3,000 851,158 .. 412,314 3,860,000 3-3 8-9 14-6 3d. to lid. .. 3d. to 24d. 2d. to .Vd. £9,774 £1,984 £4,379 £16,669 2-66 .. 2-55 0-58 290 .. 792 1,285 I i