Cold Weather Skyrockets Power Consumption

Chronicle (Levin), 29 March 1949, Page 5

Cold Weather Skyrockets Power Consumption

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, March 28. With the cold weather expenenceu during the last few days the consump;ion. of electrie power in Wellington soared well above tbe alloeation. Wam nig that if this excess consumption con tinued there would be po alternativt but to impose compulsory pouer cuts oi some fornx of rationing was given to- ( night by an oihcial of the City Electri, city Department. The over all excess consump tioij, fot the North Island was 587,690 units o. 1.89 per cent. above- the alloeationElectricity Controller ( ALr. A. E. Davei. port) said today that the cold weathei at the week-end caused a sharp; inereasv in the load while lack of rainfall meant that storage had to be used to make good the deficieney. The engineer and general manage: of the Hutt Valley Electrie Powei Board (Mr. I.' R. Robinson) stated thi.evening that consumers in the board' '> area had exceeded their alloeation by 2 per cent. which was about the North tsland iigure. The rationing scheiue was to opearte from April 1 and thi should result in considerable saving in the use of power. An official of the Wellington City Electricity Department stated thal economy was essential on the- part of all consumers, and if savings were not made now consumers would pay for it later on. Restrictions were still being applied and the department had to be more severe on permits for electrie hot wate-', ranges and radiators beeause oi the reduction in the Wellington quoin due to its having been exceeded last year. The overall North Island alloeation for the week was 31,027,0-20. units and the consumption amounted to 31,614,710 units. In the South Island consump tion last week was 14,009,000 units as eompared with .13,441,000 units the previous w.eek. Consumption for the eorresponding week a year ago was 11,704,000 units. In stating that the cold weather had meant a sharp in crease in consumption .in the South L'sland, Mr. Davenport exp.lained that the low consumption for the eorresponding week last year was due to the Eas'ter holidays and could not be eoiupared with the same period this year.