HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18423, 2 July 1925, Page 11

HYDRO-ELECTRICITY.

DEVELOP3IENTS ABROAD. Before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury last night, Sir F. T. M. Kissel, Chief Electrical Engineer, Public Works Department, cave an address on "Some Impressions of Hvdro-Electrkal Development Abroad." Dr. H. G. Denham presided OTer a fairly large attendance. ... , - Mr Kissel dealt chiefly with the hydroelectric developments in California, which-'he visited about two years ago, and' he gave a general description of tho installations. A noticeable feature in California was', he said, the large country load as opposed to a purelv town load. In tbo next few years this would be exemplified to a greater extent in New Zealand than had been the case in California and Sweden. Another noteworthy featuro of Californian schemes was the number of stations consisting of only one generating unit. This resulted in reduced capital outlav, and was made possible by the interconnexion of power stations, each station being considered a unit. A 20,000 k.w. generator cost not more than five times a 1000 k.w. unit. Mr Kissel commented on the rapidity with, which construction works were completed, and said that, they could not expect the New Zealand Public Works Department to build at the same rate, as it has not the forces at its command to enable construction at the same rate as in California. He eulogised the Water Power Branch, a State Department in Canada that carries out investigation! of sources of power, and said that New Zealand would, no doubt, adopt a similar system and conduct a thorough survey of power potentialities. In connexion with power development in Xew Zealand, Mr Kissel dealt at some length with the possibilities of the wood-pulping industry, especially in those parts of the Waikato where the land is poor but where trees grow well. At the conclusion of his remarks, whinh were illustrated by an interesting series of lantern slides, Mr Kissel -was accorded a rote of thanks bj\ acclamation. _