NEW POWER SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 209, 29 May 1920, Page 7

NEW POWER SCHEME

EVANS BAY SITE FOR STATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT

The City' Council, having decided to adopt the report of tho' scheme of tho general manager' of tramways for providing an altogether now power house on the Evans Bay foreshore, rather than going in for extensions to the existing plant, it will interest many to learn on what premises the general manager has changed bis views from those expressed in the joint report presented to the council a. few weelcs ago. Those are. contained in the report furnished to councillors this week. Which says:— "I desire. first to etate that from ah engineering point of view there is 110 great difficulty in accommodating the additional plant necessary at tho Harris Street'station. To do so, however, would result in there being no space available for storage of a Buffloicnt quantity of coal in reserve, and this would require that a depot be obtained in a. convenient position near the station. At present a temporary arrangement with tho Harbour Board has been made. This, however, is not likely to continue," as I feel that tho Harbour Board will shortly be requiring to lease the land now occupied for this purpose,

"As regards the advisability of shifting the station as considered from a" city improvement point of view, this should be considered apart from the engineering aspect. : Tho only question, therefore, is that if it is considered, desirable that tho combined station should be moved— what amount of money 'would be required to bo expended to enable this to be done. I, have therefore the estimates carefully ' inquired.' into, and the value of existing land as. occupied, tho. value of land required to bo retained. aIBO tho value of land- which should be leased as well as the valua of additional land to be THirchased eefc out in the accompanying statement.

"Careful estimates have' also been mads concerning the probable value of plant 'available for disposal by sale after the station, has been properly equipped. It is necessity to bear in mind that the combined station should be considered as commbil to both tramway and lighting services. It would be wrong to consider it as belonging entirely to either of these .undertakings. Apart, from the hydro-electric Bupply a combined station ia an absolnte necessity, and this applies equally aftor the liydro-electric supply is available.' Further," it is advisable to point out that Immediate steps to securo additional machinery are urgently neccs sary; and should be ; given effect to, at once, otherwise a most serious' position will be created in connection with the successful carrying on of either'tho tramway's or lighting undertakings. Immodlata Benefit.

"It is ■ also advisable that a sufficient plant shall bo immediately mado, available in'order:.that arrangements can be made to .secure the -benefit , of the.hydro-clec-trie supply, immediately the .Government is ready, and' to thia end the more progress which is' made with the. changing .over to the new system of supply the 'more beneficial it will bo to tho public -of.'Wellington. Consideration.has been given to the method of changing over to ,the new system as. far .as generation is concerned, and provision has been made in. the .proposals, now set. out. There are probably four sites which can bo considered in connection with such a scheme. I have, however, limited this consideration to two for-reasons which I think must determine the site ultimately to bo chosen. These depend entirely upon securing facilities for dealing with tho supply of water, and itlie handling of fuel. "It will be'immediately noticed that the site of Kaiwarra. is turned down. This principally is due to the fact that I have ascertained that there- is no possibility of satisfactory arrangflmsnts being mado. in securing the-whole of the land necessary, and arranging for handling of fuel. Further, it has been ascertained that steps have'already been taken by a company to storo fuel oil in tho vicinity of the proposed site at Evans Bay. Another point is in connection with the facility afforded- to enable the construction of tho neceFsary buildings to be at onco proceeded' with. .

"The site at Evans Bay provides natur-ally-good foundations,-and the work can be immediately put in hand. Artificial foundations necessitating tho construction of reinforced concrete piles would requiro a considerable t-imd to- elapse- for tho manufacture of the piles and for tho hardening l whic,h must take placo. before they can be-used. ! -- -- -

'"After considering all tho various points' I am of opinion'that tho Evans Bay eito it the most suitable. It can he .obtained .at once. In fact, the.first right of refusal, of tho purchase of this land , has been granted ub by the' owners of tho property. : "There Would be a. sufficient amount of land available also for lioubing <tha staff to be engaged at tho station;'--"- This is'' a point of considerable benefit when tho use of the station is for. purposes of emergency. "As regard? tho total capacity of tho plant it may-be thought by some that an unnecessary amount of plant is being provided. ■ I have, howover, to point; Put that tho existing plant is , totally inadequate for : tho purposes for which it' is at- present required, and that in addition it is very advisable to bo in a position to change over as much as possiblo of the 'present system beforo ■ tho supply from Mangahao is available. . , "Tho statement attached shows tlie estimated cost of installing additional plant at Harris Street and at Evanß Bay. It does not take consideration tlie amount of tho ultimate saving which, would bo'effected by reason of .one station supplying tho whole of the power required until an additional supply is obtained from tho Government. The Hutt Rlvor 'Scheme . "During tho last few weeks'a considerable amount of disoi'ission has taken place in tho Press of this city concerning, tho advisability of the city proceeding with tho Hntt Elver scheme previously reported upon by the lato Mr., Hay, .engineer-in-, .chief of the" Public Works Ilcpartment; Mr. B. W. Holmes,' ongineer-in-ohief of tho Public. 'Works Department; and Mr. E. 6. Parry, formerly chief electrical engineer to the Government. I.havo-tq point out that- the i Hutt River scheme would bo likely—in view of tho amount of labour and material required—to interfere with tho completion of tho works at 'Mangahao. Tho previously-estimated cost of £405,000 for the Hutt liiver scheme would, in my opinion, bo totally inadequate, and the cost would -probably roach a figure iit.tlo short- of £600,000. I consider it would not be. completed before the Mangahao scheme, and consequently this city would bo in a most deplorable state for some years as regards its electrical supply. "Tho method suggested for changing over the work in connection with the power stations is dependent entirely upon the rate of progress made in changing the existing distribution system to that required to conform to the new Government scheme. The new machinery will conform to the syßtem being adopted by tho Government. ; Difference in Cost, "After comparing the cost and tlie land values affected it will be clearly seen that tho ultimate amount of capital expenditure required' for a new power station at Evans Bay is comparatively slight when compared with the cost of similarly equipping the.Harris Street station. It is true that a fairly largo sum of money, over £30,000, would be required to extend the high, tension cables through the city to Evans Bay. In view, however, of the fact that this cable is carricd through practically the entire city, it is available for functioning with the necessary cables, which will requiro to bo laid to tho various sub-stations throughout the city when tho distribution of electric power for lighting and other household purposes is undertaken, and the cost thcreor would as a result be considerable lessened. Tho cost of the main cable is allowed for. in the estimates submitted.

"In conclusion I desiro to stress the urgent necessity of providing sufficient electrical energy to met both public and private,-requirements of this city until such time as a supply of power from the Mangahao scheme is available, arid tliat in addition to such station being used to take the peak load required in raonnection with both traimvays and lighting..it miist lie_considered a prudent provision, against failure of tl\e Jlaiigulmo system through shortage of water. The site now recommended appears to provide for essential requirements hereinbefore referred to, and would cnnble the work .to be put in hand immediately. The pro' poeal also provides for utilising the l.e-st of the existing machinery now in use as far as the same will conform to the new system of generation , and distribution. Mr. Lauchlan's Report. Jlr, George Laiwhliiu, assistant manager and electrical engineer, differs from Mr. Morton, adhering to the decisions of the joint report >;f Ln-cT'months ago. as to what, economically, is best in tho in; terests of the city 10-day. Jfr. Lauchlan's report reads as follows:--'■'I have had the pleasure of perusing your report on the.'power station-ques 1 tion, and herewith desire to place on record my opinions on same. As you' aro aware I differ in several details,' and so far have heard no arguments advanced why we should i\|>ter the opinions ex?ressed in our ioi.lt report, on ili\relv A 11 discussing this matter, I wißli it clearly understood that I do not deal with it from a sentimental standpoint, but purely from air engiueerjng and commercial, point of. view. "It is ladmitted. that there art no engineering 'difficulties in the • way of Harris Street,'and 1 think It will also he ailmittfA that provision can bo made in