A RECORD LOAD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 221, 6 June 1918, Page 4

A RECORD LOAD

AT DLECTIUC LIGHTING I'OWMHOUSE. Now that we arc approaching the shortest dcys of the year, the demand lor x electric lignt .is very considerable during and peak load, hours, between i.SOp.ra. and 15.30 p.m. During that 'period Wellington is all alive with electricity. The shops have every lamp going; prior to 5 p.m. all tho factories and workshops arc fully lighted; the homes cro aflnro with light, and in many cases the heating and cooking requirements aro buinj Bet by electricity. Theso manifold demands between tho hours mentioned make wiiac is known as tho peak load, i.e., the greatest call on the output of •■•urrent of the power-house, and when the plant is running up to its'full capacity, to meet the demand, there.is cause for a litlle anxiety. Oα Tuesday evening tho highest peak load in the. history of tho lighting power-house was recorded at about 5 p.m., when the instruments roir'sljred a production of 1456 amperes 'abont 4WO horse-Bower). This was about six amperes moro than the .highest "peak" lep'stereil last winter, and is close up to the fullest capacity of the plant. Wo still have throo weeks to go before there will be a lengthening of tho days, and perhaps it month before it will he noticeablo to any extent. In tho meantime the efficiency of (lie plant' ivitl b'e well tested.

The position respecting tho electric lighting supply is that the department is not anxious to make any new connections at present—it lias all it can do to supply present requirements. In tho summer-lime-there is current and to spare available, hul tho malinger, has the mid-winter peak-loads cvsr haunting him like. a. bogey, for the exigencies of war-timo have rendered it impossible to get new plant. Another factor that complicates the problem is the doubt as to whether it would be wise for tho city to invest a large sum of money in further plant, seeing that wo may l>o in the position of obtaining current by hydroelectric means for all our enterprises a little later on. In the meantime, i l , is gratifying to knrv that the ci'.y is growing electrically and that our power-houses (now being supplied' with n poorer duality coal) are still able to meet requirements. At the same time all i codlc who can manage to economise a littJo between 5 and G p.m. are requested to do so.