PART III.-THE PROBLEM OF FUTURE SUPPLY

NZ Services Current Affairs Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 10, 15 May 1944, Page 11

PART 111.-THE PROBLEM OF FUTURE SUPPLY

With its high mountain ranges, its heavy rainfall, and its swiftlyflowing rivers, New Zealand is well endowed with sources of waterpower. Conversion to electricity represents the cheapest and most ■efficient exploitation of these natural resources. The water-turbine is a highly efficient machine, and, moreover, almost completely automatic. Operating-costs are therefore lower than in any other form of power production. It is natural, therefore, to look for future supplies of electricity in further hydro developments. But there are two aspects of such ■development that must be remembered. Hydro-electric schemes are major engineering tasks. They need careful and detailed planning, thorough preliminary investigations by experts, and when the job Js begun a large labour force. This means, in the first place, that a hydro station takes several years to complete. The second consideration which is of great importance at the present time is that hydro-plant comprises heavy machinery which must be imported from overseas. Manufacturers in Great Britain and elsewhere, from whom such equipment must be ordered, are preoccupied with war contracts. Furthermore, shipping space for :Such bulky machinery is very scarce. Already some plant intended Tor new stations here is now at the bottom of the ocean through •enemy action. New Zealand needs more electric power, now and for the future. But it cannot be obtained overnight. That is one of the chief problems. Long-range planning is necessary. A time-lag between planning and completion is inevitable. Therefore a start must be made as soon as possible on major projects.

1. The Ten-year Plan . With these facts in mind the Government recently approved a programme of hydro works to be commenced immediately and to be completed within the next ten years. The plan, which has been outlined broadly, refers, at present, mainly to the North Island system, where the demand is greatest. Based on yearly increases of 40,000 kW., a sum of £21,000,000 is allocated for the work in the North Island. Financial provision for extensions to the South. Island system has also been made amounting to £12,000,000 spread, over the ten-year period. Apart from the new stations already referred to at Lake Waikaremoana, the plan, as far as the North Island is concerned, relies upon further exploitation of the resources of the Waikato River. During its 200-mile journey from Lake Taupo to the sea, the Waikato falls 1,200 ft. It is proposed eventually to make use of all this' fall in a stage-by-stage development. The plan sets out ten. 'of the feasible sites for hydro stations for early development. Starting from the lake downstream, these are : —

Head of Water Power obtainable. available

The ultimate development of such a system would give a total of 800,000 kW., or over a million horse-power. Each station would require a dam across the river. ; Work has already started on the new station at Karapiro, near Cambridge. This will have 90,000 kW. capacity and is hoped to be in operation in 1946. Completion will not be possible much earlier because of difficulties over man-power and machinery. The dam at Karapiro will create a lake which will extend past the existing station at Horahora. The removal of this plant will therefore be necessary, making the net addition to the supply system from Karapiro 80,000 kW., allowing for the loss of Horahora’s 10,000 kW. As part of the ten-year plan it is proposed that three new stations should be developed as soon as possible at Whakamaru, Ohakuri, and Maraetai.

The following table summarizes the existing capacity of the North Island system, and the increases expected .from the ten-year plan : —

Altogether the scheme which is based on a 10-per-cent. annual increase, provides for additional 500,000 kW. in the capacity of the North Island system during the next ten years, giving a total of 700,000 kW., or almost a million horse-power. 2. Will this be sufficient ? When the Government announced this ten-year programme of hydro-electric development it was immediately endorsed by public opinion. In it was seen the means of meeting post-war demands for power and of making a valuable contribution to the successful rehabilitation of the Dominion’s servicemen. Not only will men be usefully employed in the actual construction work, but the power generated will make possible the development and expansion of industry, besides permitting the greater use of electric labour-saving facilities in the home. Strong representations were, however, made by the Power Boards and other distributing authorities for more immediate action. Their concern over recent years has been with supply for present needs. Since even Karapiro could not be in production before 1946, the scheme offered no early relief for the pressing needs of their districts. They pointed out that potential consumers were installing alternative means of cooking and heating, which meant that they would not be requiring electricity for another ten years at least. Not only were needs being left unsatisfied ; the market for the future sale of electricity was being lost.’

3. The Case for Steam-plant • . The Power Boards’ Association urged the Government to proceed! immediately with the installation of fuel-burning steam generators sothat the pressure on existing hydro plants might be relieved. They contended that this could be installed quickly and would always beon hand as standby equipment to supplement the major hydro stations. To these requests the Government has given considerable attention. It is pointed out, however, that such plant must come from overseas in the same way as hydro equipment. The same difficulties of shipping space and preoccupation with war production mean delays in delivery of steam turbines. Nevertheless, the Government is at present investigating the prospects of obtaining such plant. ’ Whatever their success, however," it seems unlikely that relief can; be expected before 1945. < The question of fuel-supplies enters into the operation of steamgenerators. New Zealand is at present experiencing a coal shortage equally as serious as the electricity shortage. To meet this the Minister of Mines recently announced that his engineers were working on a scheme to lower the level of Lake Kimihia, near Huntly. If this can be done it is estimated that between 500,000 and 700,000' tons of coal may be obtained. The mine would be practically an open quarry from which coal could be obtained at the rate of 300 tons a day and at a much lower cost than from underground mines. » ’ " , /:■ , , . .c'v; •„ The problem of meeting immediate demands is therefore a . twofold. one. First, overseas manufacturers must be able to : supply complete generating-plant, and ships must be available to get it here. Our claims are supported by the necessity for increased food-produc-tion, in which electricity plays an important part. Second, fuel must be available to run the plant when it is here. 4. Electricity in Post-war New Zealand 1 Great as is the part electricity plays in our lives now,' it is likely to be greater in the post-war years. The indications are already plain. The Government’s housing scheme alone is estimated in the North Island to require power equivalent to the output of a station the size of Mangahao. The present position of many Electric Supply Authorities, who estimate that by connecting only essential services they are meeting barely 20 per cent, of the known new demand in their districts, gives some line for the future. The Hutt Valley Electric-power Board, which as the supply authority for a large city and rural population, may be taken as an example of rapidly expanding needs. : Within its area a number of substantial industries powered by electricity have sprung up during the war years. These will remain to continue, if not increase, their production in the post-war years.

Within this area, too, the Government is constructing numerousState houses, one block alone comprising 650 units. A good proportion of these are planned as “ all-electric,” involving equipment such as ranges and water heaters. Five hundred such houses use approximately 2,000,000 units a year. This particular Board has estimated its normal increase in demand as being from 10 to 15 per cent, annually. Under present conditions an increased allowance of barely 3 per cent, can be allowed in the bulk supply from the North Island system. This means that the balance of from 7 to 12 per cent, is being compounded each year so , that in the first post-war years, say, three years’ hence, this Board might have to meet an accumulated demand- of at least 31 per cent. This is typical of many . other areas throughout the Dominion. Add to this the prophecies reaching us from the scientific and industrial worlds who are preparing the market for all kinds of electrical

"7 gadgets ” and labour-saving devices. It seems clear that New.Zealanders will be able to use all the electricity that can be produced, and any expenditure on major public works of this nature will be a •sound investment. 5. Whither Industry ? The use of electric power in industry permits of decentralization and the establishment of a larger number of factories in provincial towns and agricultural areas. There is no doubt that a good supply ■of cheap electric power has made possible the existence of so many ■of our secondary industries and encouraged their expansion in recent years. It is likely that these will increase in the post-war period. But has this possibility of decentralization of industry been realized ? So far the tendency has been to concentrate industries near established •centres and confine them particularly to the North Island. The North Island supply system is the one that is in most difficulties. , The solution seems to be to take more advantage of the fact that •electric power can, within broad limits, run a factory anywhere. Wise planning of the location of new industries is essential. The abundance of water-power in the South Island would suggest that more attention should be given to setting-up or transferring industries to that area.

ft. kW. Huka Falls ... ... 60 30,000 Aratiatia Rapids ~... ... 110 60,000 Parariki- ... ... ... 35 ; 20,000 Ohakuri ...' ... 137 100,000 Ariamuri... ... - 73 50,000 Whakamaru - ... ... 202 150,000 Maraetai ... ... 104 80,000 Muku ... 81 70,000 Arapuni ... ... 175 ’ 150,000 Karapiro... ... 100 90,000

. Existing Stations. Present Capacity. New Stations or Extensions. Total Future Capacity. kW. Arapuni Arapuni (two more kW. 110,000 Arapuni (two more kW. 150,000 units) kW. Arapuni 110,000 150,000 . Horahora ... 10,000 units) Karapiro (replaces 90,000 ' Horahora with 90,000 kW.) 90,000 Waikaremoana 72,000 Horahora with 90,000 kW.) Waikaremoana Lower (20,000) \ 124 ooo Waikaremoana Upper (32,000)/ ’ UUU (20,000)'! 124 QQo (32,000)/ ’ Mangahao 19,000 Mangahao 19,000 19,000 Waikaremoana Upper Whakamaru 19,000 150,000 Ohakuri ' ... , ... 150,000 100,000 Maraetai ... ... 100,000 80,000 211,000 Maraetai ... 80,000 1 ... ■ • ■ ' 713,000 .