WATER POWER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2827, 19 July 1916, Page 6

WATER POWER

ITS DEVELOPMENT REVIEWED. Referring in the Public Works Statement to the development of water power, the Hon. W. Frascr. said:—' The Lake Coleridge power scheme, designed and carricd into effect by tho Government, has been in continuous operation for one complete year, and the results attained have justified the most sanguine anticipations of the advocates of tho utilisation on a large scale of our water powers for the development of electrical energy. Three units of generating machinery were originally installed, capable of an output of 6000 horse-power. Twelve months ago the demand for current warranted, the insinuation of a fourth unit of 2000 horsepower, and tho expanding business now necessitates the addition of a. fifth unit, comprising pipe-line, turbine, and generator, of 1000 horse-power, which will bring tho total capacity of tho plant up to 10,000 horse-power. . During tho year tho maximum load on tho plant I'cachcd 1770 horse-power, which is less than the capacity of one of the three units installed. Under these circumstances, the business could not be expected to show a profit. At the same time, at the ond of the. .year tho plant was earning, sufficient to cover working expenses. Contracts to the extent of 8000 horse-power have already been entered into, and when the power under these contracts is beirg supplied it can confidently bo slated that tho plant will be earning sufficient to pay interest in full as well as working expenses, and possibly leave a small surplus towards sinking fund and depreciation. The scheme is capable of much greater expansion, and as the load increases there will be an increased surplus out of which tho debit balance incurred in the earlier stages of the undertaking will be repaid; The current.'ha 6up to the present /been- utilised mainly, for lighting; domestic, public, and industrial motors, for which purposes experience proves that it: is a cheap, convenient, and reliable form of energy. Arrangements are. however, now in train for utilising the .current during the present year for tramway traction, and for the operation of machinery in the . principal meat works. Hour mills, tanneries, dairy factories, and other established industries in and around Christchureh.

During the year feeder lines have been extended to Belfast, and arrangements are being made for a further extension in this direction to Kaiapoi. Other extensions in the direction of ,Southbridge, Lceston. and Alcuroa, and also the establshment of high-tension lines between the power house at Coleridge and Timaru in order to servo the South Canterbury district, have bad to ta postponed owing to tho cost and difficulty of obtaining material for the purpose. The Department during the year inaugurated a;nuniLer of local distribution services, which in some eases have been taken over by the local authorities in whose districts tho reticulation has been carricd out, and 'the Department has been reimbursed.

In addition to supplying -mercy for present known requirements tho Department is in ionch with manufacturers in many branches of industry wiili a view 'to introducing new processes or improving existing ones where such possibilities are opened up by the large sunply of energy available. It is probable that one result will be the establishment of new industries for the local manufacture of electro-chemicals in common use. •and possibly something in tho way ot' stoelniaking.

The whole installation is running smoothly ami efficiently, and it is satisfactory to record that the cost of (lit development, machinery, and equipment has been kept very close to the estimates submitted by the Government expert. The capital expenditure on tho Lake Coleridge scheme up to HaTch .11 last m-?ri'ted N ,£320.710.

During the past year some progress has been made by survey and investigation towards the formulation of a comprehensive scheme to provide a general Riioplv of electricity for tho Nortll Island. There aro several schemes showing some promise, but careful investigation at t*M' sources ami a good (**il oi survey along nrospeelive trnii'missiml lines have to be completed before the. most economical and effective'method of serving the island can be determined.