MORE ELECTRIC-POWER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 38, 9 June 1947, Page 5

MORE ELECTRIC-POWER

HARNESSING RANGITAIKI Will the Rangitaiki River be harnessed to provide all the electricity needed by an expanding population and new industries in the Bay of Plenty during the next ten years? This possibility has not been lost sight of by engineers of the Public Works Department. How urgent measures for flood control in the Rangitaiki River could be linked with plans for generating more hydro-electricity were touched on in one section of the 10-year plan that was explained to Bay of Plenty representatives by the Minister of Works.

There are considerable problems awaiting attention in the Rangitaiki, Waiotapu, Otara, Waimana, Whakatane and Waioeka Rivers, said the Minister. Works in the lower reaches of the rivers were in general merely designed to hold the situation until the principles of soil conservation could be applied and have time to operate in the upper slopes of their catchment areas.

In the Rangitaiki River the possibility of full use of water resources was being examined. A flood control dam might provide a hydro-electric develop-

ment capable of supplying traction and other power for the distribution of timber and other produce from the kaingaroa Plains.

The regeneration, of eroded lands throughout the hill country would have considerable effect upon the behaviour of the lower rivers and would be actively pursued by the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council.

These plans were closely linked with the investigation of a possible rail outlet from the Kaingaroa Plains from Murupara to the vicinity of Edgecumbe. Edgecumbe Sub-Station

The State Hydro-Electric Department proposed to interconnect by a 50 K.V. line the systems of the Thames Valley and Bay of Plenty Electric-power Boards. A new substation was to be provided at Tauranga, after the completion of this transmission line. At Edgecumbe the sub-station would be so substantially enlarged and altered as to become virtually a new installation. The Bay of Plenty, Thames Valley and Tauranga Electric-power Boards all had proposals for extensions of reticulation.