D—4

5. Testing Besides carrying out the routine tests of installed equipment, the staff has been fully engaged in testing new apparatus going into service, tracing and checking faults and carrying out the necessary alterations and adjustments, and installing and testing metering equipment and alarm and recording systems. 6. Plant and Motor-vehicles Generally speaking, the motor-vehicles in use in this district are fast reaching the state where their reliability is in question and their repair and maintenance costs are becoming excessive. Of the 2 cars, 19 trucks, and 2 motor-cycles, at least half of the vehicles have now been in use ten years or more, much of their work having been on construction or survey in very rough couiitry. No new vehicles have yet been allocated to this district. The additional trucks received are all second-hand and some have had strenuous Army service. Additional vehicles for the Cobb Station Superintendent and the Distribution Engineer are urgently required, and if transmission-line construction work is to proceed, further vehicles must be made available. Of the 2 ambulances, ex-Army, received during the year, 1 has been fitted up as a line truck and a similar body will be built for the second during the coming year. C. CONSTRUCTION 1. Power-station Cobb. —The main work undertaken has been the construction of a social hall, which is now well under way. Other building included the provision of further temporary accommodation and a drying-room at the hostel, and village fences, walls, &c. At the power-house the pumping-unit for the water rheostat was placed in position and suitably housed, while the new local service panel was also put into service. 2. Substations Stoke. —Control panels for the 0.C.8. relays were set up and put into operation and the installation of the temporary 6,000 kVA. transformer bank is in progress. Blenheim. —A new 33 kV. 0.C.8. with metering P.T.s and C.T.s was installed, and, on transfer from Addington, the 5,000 kVA. transformers were assembled and relays have been fitted. The bank will be put into service during the coming year. An order has been placed for an outdoor-type voltage-regulating transformer, which should arrive from England towards the end of this year. Motupipi. —Incoming-supply metering-equipment was installed. Upper TaJcaJca. —The 66 kV. 0.C.8.s were prepared and put into service and an 11 kY. feeder panel was installed for additional supply to the Golden Bay Electricpower Board. 3. Transmission and other Lines The survey work in connection with the Stoke-West Coast line is now almost completed. Extensions to 11 kV. lines, an 11 kV./400 v. substation, and additional 400 v. mains have been erected at Cobb. A second telephone-line was installed between the pow&r-house and the dam to handle the increased construction traffic. 4. Workshop Nelson. —The new workshop building, commenced in October, 1945, is slowly nearing completion and may be ready by June, 1947. D. CONSUMERS All consumers co-operated to the fullest extent during the difficult dry weather period, and good relations persisted throughout the year.

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