POWER SUPPLY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19151, 7 November 1927, Page 8

POWER SUPPLY.

WAITAKI DEVELOPMENT.

INVESTIGATIONS BEING SPEEDED UP. That the Tublic Works Department and the hydro-electricity branch are fully alive to the necessity for pushing; on as speedily as possible with the work of developing the Waitaki river as an additional source of power supply is borne out by some information obtained lw a representative of The PrMs from Mr R. G. Mac Gibbon, Kesident Electrical Engineer, Christchureh, who visited, during last week, the sites above KuroW, at one of which ib is proposed to erect the dam'and power-house.

Throe Sites. The position in which the Department 's engineers find themselves is that of three possible above Kurow, another midway between Kurow and Wharekauri, and another near the last-mentioned locality —the middle site has been proved to be suitable, but if decided upon it will render impossible future developments at either of the other sites. In ono case it would back up the water, and in tho other it would reduce the height of tho dam. As a consequence, attention is being concentrated on the possibilities of the "Wharekauri site, both from the engineering and the economic points of view.

Investigations Being Made. At present Dr. P. Marshall, Government Geologist, is working in the vicinity of Wharekauri, investigating the geological formation of the locality. Mr G. P. Anderson, assistant engineer from the head office, also is making investigations with the object of speeding up a decision as to the site, so that delay in starting construction operations can be reduced to a minimum. A boring plant, supplied by Messrs Job Osborne and Co., is operating at the Wharekauri site, and the Department's own staff is engaged making pits also, for the purpose of ascertaining the nature of the ground. It is likely that pumping appliances will be provided to enable these pits to be carried deeper; also it is likely that further boring plant will be provided. Start of Construction WorkMr Mac Gibbon was not able to, give information as to when the actual work of construction will be put in hand; naturally that depends on how soon the investigations at present being made are completed. The objective that tho Department has in view, it is understood, is to get the work of construction started as early as possible next year; at any rate it will be put in hand at the earliest possible opportunity. Neither was Mr Mac Gibbon able to give any official information regarding the installation at the Lake Coleridge power-station of the No. 1 unit, 7500 k.w., which will complete the generating equipment of the station. But this is not being lost sight of. and it is possible that shortly definite information will be available as to the necessary plant having been ordered.