Major Power Failure Hits Christchurch

Chronicle (Levin), 27 September 1949, Page 3

Major Power Failure Hits Christchurch

CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 26. An eleetrical failure in the main substation of the municipal electricity department in Armagk Street about 1.45 p.m. today, caused widespread power stoppages over most parts of Christchurch. Power was resumed in the city area about an hour later but many of the suburbs were without power for several hours. The breakdown has meant that less power can be passed through the substation which serves most of the city north of the main sout'h railway line. This evening there were blaekouts in several districts as the load at the substation became too great. Engineers of the department did not know what caused. the breakdown which was accompanied by an explosion in the substation. During the afternoon and evening they .were foilly absorbed in seeing that the demand did not exeeed the supply. The installation of private auxiliary plants during the power shortages 18 months ago, "enabled operations in many premises to continue normally but in some eases industry was brought to a standstill when the breakdown occur- , . red. The domestic supply in many suburbs was not restored in time for the preparation of the evening meal to begin on schedule. In other suburbs families sat in darkness during part of the evening as the power was shut off. Shoppers were inconvenienced by the absence of light in some stores a'nd through lifts not operating. Picture theatre patrons waited about an hour for the matinee programmes to begin and- a number went home after reeeiving refunds. A biscuit factory was one of the chief losers. The eleetrie ovens were nearly full when the breakdown oceurred and batc-h.es of biscuits amounting to many hundredweights were ruined. An electro-plating firm had two big baths filled with metal ' artides, including a large batch of toasters, teapots and similar utensils. I These will have to be cleaned and polished again and the plating proeess be gono over- completely. Power was off at the Christchurch Hospital for more than an hour but there were no serious consequences, the treatment of patients in departments using eleetrical equipments was delayed and the stopping of the lifts slowed the movenmut of patients. Broadcasting stations switched over to standby plants within a few minutes and resumed transmission. The Post and Telegraph Departpient services had a similar short interruption.