BIG POWER SCHEME

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 148, 17 April 1940, Page 7

BIG POWER SCHEME

VERY LITTLE SMALLER THAN,' ARAFUNI WORK NEAR CAMBRIDGE Cabinet's approval of the construction of a hydro-electrical scheme at the Crow's Nest, near Cam bridge* brings nearer realisation a huge new power scheme on the VY aikato River, The need for additional hydro-electrical generation in the Auckland Province has been apparent for some time, because the demand. for power has been increasing l'ar beyond expectations. For some time it has been known that the Cambridge site was the one most favoured by the Public Works Department, which has conducted exhaustive survey of the site but was not announced until Cabinet decided to proceed with the scheme. Situation of Tunnel. It is considered likely that the organisation for commcncing the huge task will be completed within a month, and an immediate start at the Crow's Nest can then be expected. The first scliemc to lie undertaken there would be the construction of a diversion tunnel. At the Crow's Nest the river makes an "S" bend, and the tunnel would be drilled through one of the loops. Compression gear and drills will have to be assembled and a gang of tunnellers engaged before a start can be made on the tunnel. At the present time tunnellers arc scarce in the Dominion.

Already tenders have been called for the construction of the huge control gates for the diversion tunnel. In view of the war, no development of electrical power energy was considered likely to be made on the Waikato River in the immediate future. However, a delay would risk the possibility of v serious shortage of power in later years. It is expected that the Crow's Nest scheme will take three to four years to complete if no delays are occasioned. Little Smaller Than Arapuni. A little less powerful than the Arapuni scheme, the power station at the Crow's Nest will develop about 85,000 kilowatts* compared with 110,000 kilowatts generated at Arapuni at the present time. It will | be a huge undertaking, one of the main features of which will be the creation of a huge new lake on the Waikato River extending almost to Arapuni. The area now occupied by the Horahora plant will be inundated, with the result that the Horahora station will be demolished. The Horahora hydro-electric plant was erected by the Waihi Gold Mining Company to supply power for its huge batteries at Waikino, and was acquired by the Government in November, 1920, for £212.500. The plant at that time had a capacity of 8-100 horse-power, and additions since carried out by the State have increased the capacity by about 50 per cent, The capital account in con ncction with this plant now stands at about £311,000.