POWER POSITION ACUTE

Chronicle (Levin), 15 February 1947, Page 5

POWER POSITION ACUTE

-Press Association

LEVELS OF LAKES CONTINUE TO FALL

Bv Telegrapti-

WELLINGTON, Feb. 14.' Rain which has failen over a Wide area of the North Island during the last three or four days has not beneffted the hydro-electric position, and the continued f all of Taupo, now down to 1174.95 feet; is causing' very grave concern, inasmuch as -c was hoped to conserve .water there * to lill the new Karapiro dam. Power will now have to be rigidly conserved to allow Karapiro to lill and alleviate the winter power position, if the station is ready in time. . After three days' rain, Lake Wai karemoana had risen by .2ffcMo 1998. 7ft, but during yesterday it dfopped back .lft again. Taupo, which up till yes terday had a quarter of an ineh of rain, dropped from 1175.3ft on Wednesday to its present level. At present the North Island load demand during the peak period has not deviated much from t'he average summer peak load,„about 270,000 kilowatts (compared with the winter peak of 360,000), but it was not possible to say at midday today whether the gloomy conditions in the Wellington area would cause a peak which would strain the supply. Half-hour cuts in the electrie power supply in the Hutt Valley Power Board's area may be imposed, without notice, from next Monday. The cuts will fall between 4,15 p.m. and 6 p.m., and are spread over the area. The board's official notice states that owing to the shortage of water at the hydro-electric stations the Governmenl has instructed the board to reduee thc consuinption of electricity. The board therefore appeals to all consumers to reduce consumptiou as much as possible, particularly to use water-heating facilities as little as possible. The notice does not say that the power will be cut off, but it is liable to be, and householders should make their pluns aecordingJy.