WATER FLOWS OVER KARAPIRO SPILLWAY.

Chronicle (Levin), 9 April 1947, Page 6

WATER FLOWS OVER KARAPIRO SPILLWAY.

AUCKLAND, April 8. Water has been coming over the spillway at Karapiro dam since 7 o'ciock this evening in an ever increasing flow. The lake level rose steadily, but ratlier more slowly than expected throughout tlie day, to the spillway crest line 84ft above the old river level, and eontinued to mount inch by iuch tonight. Load factors at Arapuni decreased the amount of water coming down tlio river and early this afternoon stei>s were taken to ensure that no more water came over the Arapuni spillway. The gate in the diversion tunnel at Karapiro was permanently closed fshortly before 1.30 p.m. and was again inspected and folind in good order. A delay has occurred in the testing of the iirst 30,000 kilowatt unit. As far as the tests have gone it is stated the unit is completely satisfactory but a defcct has been discovered in the gate at the entrance to the penstock tunnel taking the water from the dam to the turbine. Until this fault is rectified, which may be tomorrow, tlie further running of the nnit will probably be postponed. When the unit first comes on the supply system it will be only for test runs which will vary from a quite short to a fairly long duration. It will not be possible to rely on it for commercial purposes until it has passed in all trials and the equipment eonnected with it has also been provcd satisfactory. No definite date has been given for either the trial run on load or final connection with the system but there will be no unnnecessary delay. It was stated today that many of the small leaks which had appeared in the dam yesterday had since sealed theniselves. No fears of any serious trouble seeiu to be entertained bv any of the engineers connected 'with the dam.