COUNCIL WARNING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 217, 7 June 1919, Page 8

COUNCIL WARNING

TO USERS OF ELECTRICITY EARLY PEAK-LOAD PERIOD APPEAL TO RADIATOR OWNERS For some time past; it hits' been. made blown to the public thai the mmiicipality is in mi unhappy position regarding its electrical power plants. There was plant on order when war broke out, and since that' time other orders have been placed in the hope that, 6ome of Iho plant might be secured, nnd so allow ol' a Kttlc greater margin of power. The war, however, wns of paramount'importance, and those orders, in common will}

many others from municipalities in Mew" Zealand, are not' yet executed, nor is there auy immediate prospect of orders for plant placed with English firms being fulfilled, til the meantime we in 'Wellington have arrived at our maximum

output at both power-houses, and no further strain can he put on to either plant with safety. Yesterday the Mayor (Mr. ,7. P. Luke), speaking to a Dominion' reporter,' gnvo consumers ol' electricity a grave., warning. ■ "At the lighting, power-house," said Mr. Luke, "we have reached our peak-load much earlier than ever wo have before, hi past years the absoluto peak lias been recorded about the end of .Tune, hut this year we'have already reached our peak-load, and the fact is causing our officials a good deal of anxiety. A record for (lie station was established on Friday last. With these facts in view it.can easily he imagined that serious difficulties may present themselves at any time. To emphasise what the increased pressure iias been lately, 500 kilowatts more were drawn last week than the week before, so that tho strain on the plant is a. very real oiki, which must he met by (lie exercise o{ economy wherever it is possible. The council and its officers havo done their very best, but we are now up against it. Our chief concern is tile big de- , inand that is 'being made for current between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.—the daily peak-load period. Unfortnnately, -1 o'clock in the < afternoon is the coldest part of the day, and that is the tiuio when the radiators are switched oil in the homes, shops, and oflices, and rmmediately the demand for current ig registered at the power-house. I know it is a good deal to ask people to withhold as fnuch as possible using radiators in the hours mentioned.'-but I a£k them in the interests of the municipality and the community generally to be as sparing as possible in the uso of electric heaters at that time.of tho day.'I know that there are thoso who would, and could, suggest ways and means of cutting out a lot. of lighting tuning the hours mentioned,!, and from A non-technical poiut of view that way seems to'be tbe-first notion to consider, but I emphasise the necessity for ecoiibmy in the'use of radiators, beqauso they consume a good deal of .current. One radiator consumes as much currant as the lighting of two or three houses. At the same time I itoukl like to Emphasise that it is highly essential that all users of electricity, whether for heat or lighting, should rigidly economise betwen 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. until the midwinter crisis - ia over, or possibly until such time as the necessary plant which will give relief should arrive. There is at present on order for the Mercer Street power-house a big boiler and turbine engine, but the council has received no word of its having hepii shipped. A netv boiler for the tramways power-house is on the way, and may- be expected to arrive at any time."

The Mayor staled that the strain on the plant was also a strain ou the manager (Mr. George Lauchlnn) and the. engineer (Air. Peter M'Coll) and their staffs', and anything .that citizens.could do to relieve that strain in the manner indicated would be very greatly appreciated. ■ '