Gas Turbines, ‘Safe Source Of Power’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31085, 14 June 1966, Page 3

Gas Turbines, ‘Safe Source Of Power’

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 13. Gas turbines for generating electricity seemed to offer speedy power generation without health hazards, said Dr. F. R. Chisholm, of Auckland, who returned last night after studying such plants overseas.

Dr. Chisholm, immediate past president of the Auckland division of the British Medical Association, was asked by the Government to investigate the use of gas turbines. He went with Mr R. J. Fyfe, assistant chief engineer of the Electricity Department. Gas turbines were being used for power in Sweden (which was running out of hydro resources), Britain, the Channel Islands and parts of the United States, said Dr. Chisholm. He looked at their use in all these places and met the health authorities. The turbines he saw were driven by natural gas, oil or a distillate. A remarkable feature was that they could produce power within eight min-

utes of pushing a switch and within 10 minutes could be producing at full capacity. “The idea in the countries we visited is to establish these plants near where you need the power, using existing power lines, and feed the supply in at peak periods,” said Dr. Chisholm. “I can see no danger to health, and that is the view of health authorities I talked to. Emission of fumes and noise can be effectively controlled. In England they have measured carefully and can find no sulphurdioxide in the air round the plants. “The medical authorities are quite satisfied that there is nothing to worry about.” * The Government has proposed a gas turbine station for Otara, near Otahuhu.