HYDRO EQUIPMENT FOR N.Z.

Chronicle (Levin), 10 January 1947, Page 7

HYDRO EQUIPMENT FOR N.Z.

(.Special Gorrespondent.)

BRITISH FIRMS WELL AHEAD WITH BIG ORDERS

Received Thursday, 7 p.m. LOJNJUOoN, Jan. 9. Hydro-electric equipment for the Karapiro, Waitaki and Tekapo power • echemes which has already bben shipped or will be dispatched by Britisn makera within the nextr 18 months is vaiued at over £500,000. All the equipment necessary for the iiistailation of the first of the three 00,000 kiiowatt units at Karapiro has now left British ports and should arrive in the Doimnion in time to be asseinbled and ready for operation before the Kew Zealand winter. Alternators for another two Karapiro units have also been dispatched and it is expected that the water turbines for tlrese units will follow at three-monthly intervals. In addition to the Karapiro plaut the equipment for the lifth unit necessary to eomplete the Waitaki station and the sirigle -5,000 kiiowatt unit for the new Tekapo station are also under coustruction. The delivery date for the Waitaki alternator and turbine which will have a capacity of 15,000 kilowatts has now been brouglit back to fcSepteruber of tliis year. Originally it was lixed for early in 1948. The equipment for Tekapo should be ready for ship ment iu the spring of 1948. British lirms feel some natural regrei that "they did not secure the contract for the heavy plant for the live-unit Maruetai scheme, but it is recognised at ' present that they are tendering uhder considerable ditHculties. The turbines and alternators for this Scheme are to be inade in the Unitod Btates and Canada, but good progress has been made in Britain with the construction of some of the subsidiary equipment for which British manufacturers received contracts. Two auxiliary turbines ordered for Maraetai have already been shipi>ed. In addition to this liydro-eleetrio equipment three British firins who are supplying the 3000 railway wagons ordered last year by the New Zealand railways expect to eomprete their deliveriCs this year. Some of the "pattern wagons ' ' are nearly ready for askembly and as soon as they are tested and approved the contractors will deal with th'e bulk of the order. The wagons j will be shipped in their component iparts and assembled in New Zealand. ! Five thousand tons of Tails and 1000 j tons of fasteners recently ordered for the New Zealand railways from Beli gium have also been dispatched recently, but owing to the shipping strike in Antwerp the loading of the hua] 1000 tons of rails required to complete the order has been delayed.