POWER RESTRICTIONS

Chronicle (Levin), 1 May 1946, Page 4

POWER RESTRICTIONS

■ Drastic BfcadSasting Cut Demaiuied BOARD DISCUSSES SHORTAGE The power supply situation and power rationing were discussed at a meeting of the Horowhenua Electric Power Board yesterday, and in consequence it was unanimously del cidfed to demand that radio , brSadcastirig hours shQulu be ' redueed by at least 50 per cfeht. Thfe rrifetfef was iritrodufeed fit thfe Mfeetirig b^ fi 'spfeciai joiht report from • the managing-secretary _ (Mr-. R. A. Ffedferikson) and engineer (Mr. J. F. Bfye'fe): It wa§ explained in. ihe rfepbrt thfit .the, present . shortage was prim'arily dU§' to a faUlt' iri fi gerifef'ator at Arapuni-,-Which' necessitated a reduction iri ldad bVfer ihe whole of the Nortri Ifeifirid. Aitlidugh. the defective 'geriferatbr was now reported to be back m service," tiife febntinued drv wefithfer iri the feeritral pqrtion of the North Island had made it. still necessary to reduce the unit confeumptibri, 'espfeCi'ally in the coming winter months.

Iri brder to feifect every possiole Sfiving With thfe minimum incon^vferiiehce tb consumers, the report continued, the system voltage had be'eri redueed to the lowest value at which i't W'aS safe .to. operate en; street lighting had been 6ut bfi, entirely on moonlight nights and short period cut-offs had been madfe dufihg the aftethbbriS; a/feut-off for an hour fit midhight had also beeri tried one night. Experience had shown that unit rationing was much more. difficult to carry biit thari peak load ffeduction. "To a Ifirgfe extfeht; cut-offs during the day merely postpones the usfe bf eifectr-ifeity and does not sav'e units," said the report._ "This applies particularly to cooking anii rriilkihg. The units which are saved are those used for lighting, heat^ ing, radio and waterheating. Fof the purpose df satfihg Units the best period would be between 7 and 10 p.m. During recent weeks the unit consumption of the distriet has bfefeh from 4,000 fos 7,030 t'ob high. it is impossible to cut off power at any period of the 24 hours without iricohveriiencing some consumers. There are certain industries which opefate for the full .24 hours, and at night there are eifectric bakeries, ffiilway signals, hospitals, etc." Asked by the meeting to commerit further to the report, Mh Fre'defikfeori said it had been found most difficult to determine a cutr off period which inconvenienced nbbb'dy. ' Hfe arid Mf . Bryfefe had hb opfion but ,to enforee the present system. When more informatiori was fo.rthcoming from rne depart•inent, it should be possible to makfe the ' feut-offs betwefen more regulaf hours. From his personal observatioris, 3\4r. Frederikson sfiid he felt the public appreciated the situfition,. and* were sympathetic towardis Ehe cfiffi'cultieS of tne board. Sp'eaking to the report, Mr. Bryefe said that in spite of the cut-offs tlife consumptibh of the distriet was still 15 per cent. in exeess.of the ailocfidon, which varied from week to Wfeek. He' explained that it was nefeessar.y. to cut off the power wheh the eohsumptibn was greatest, othferwisfe there would be little saving.- - . , . The Chairman (Mr. G. A. Monk) said that tlife department had dorie iittle iri regard to the matter, prefferfirig appaffently to leave it in thfe hands of the supply authoritife's. He maintained that it was up to the j department to make some move in the situation. Mr. Monk adVo'cated a considerable reduction in the j hours of broadcasting, particularly ; during the day. '• { Afte'r disciissirig the mattifr , members had no hfesitfiti'ori in rfeaching the decision stated fibove in regaf'd to broadcasting hours. ' ' - Mr. F. W. Vickferman urged -that an extensive publicity- campaign be launched, to convince the public of the great need 9for economy in the use of electric power, and also that a thorough investigation be made into opportunities for further rfeduction. General R. Young spoke of the need for a . definite cut-off timfe, which would lessen the inconvenierice to people. In his opinion, carelessness in leaving lights artd radios switched on was responsibie for a large portion of the wastage.