Power Shortage For 20 Years

Chronicle (Levin), 7 September 1948, Page 7

Power Shortage For 20 Years

Press Association)

(Per

AUCKLAND, Sept. 6. A grim forecast that the electricity supply will not have caug'ht up with the demand by 1960 and that the North Island will then have experienced power shortages for nearly 20 years, is made in a report by leading engineers comprising a special committee of the Electrie Supply Authority Engineers5 Institute.' The report, which is to be presented to the annual conference of the Electric Power Boards5 and Supply Authorities5 Association in Dunedin • at the end of this month, is prepared by Messrs I. R. Robinson (convener, Hutt Valley), A. 0. Glasse (Auckland), C. M. Gray (Waitemata), L. B. Hntton (Wellington), F. Matthewsou (Poverty Bay) and T. R. Overton (North Auckland). The major views expressed in the report are as f ollow ■ — (1) The new Maraetai generating station will not be in operation until aftei. the winter of 1951. (2) Deficiency between the power available and natural de-

mand will rise from 135,000,000 units next year to 629,000,000 units in 1955. (3) The annual increase of units allowed to supply authorities will need to be restricted and on peak loads will be more severe still. (4) If a dry year is experienced the restrictions wi]) be much more severe even than in (3) and will cause a eonsiderable economic upset. (5) If a dry autumn similar to that .of this year .is encountered at the same time as the -low level oi Waikaremoana, the situation will be almost clisastrous. (6) The Auckland steam generating plant should be extended immediately and plans prepared for an extension of the Evans Bay station, Wellington.. ■ (7) There is an urgent need for speeding up the investigation, design and construction of hydroelectric stations in ,the North Island. (8) The question of a large steam plant on a coal field, should be investigated by experts.