AT THE PEAK-TOP

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 232, 25 June 1920, Page 7

AT THE PEAK-TOP

ELECTRIC POWER IN WELLINGTON NEED FOR ECONOMY These are the peak-ioad days for electrical power in Wellington. In the course of the many articles and reports which have teen published about the city's electric resources, the period of the greatest anxiety on tbie part of the responsible officers is ihe present one, when nearly every user of current for light has to switch on at about 1 p.m.; whilst power users are going at top speed. Most of the power supplied to private users 19 derived from the tramways power-house (direct current), and It is well known that tire plant at ihat station is severely taxed to provide sufficient energy for tho peaks between 4.30 p.m._ and 6 p.m. At the present time ell available boiler aud generating plant pre at those times already carrying a greater' load than they should bo asked to do, and in this situation it i 9 but right to ask users oi power to economiso to thte utmost extent if they do not wi6h to be cut off altogether for tho last hour of the working day. At the lighting station the plant is also fully extended to supply tbe demand. During lost summer—when the loading-is not so heavy-several himdred connections wero wade, and these are, of course, having an effect on the evening peak, whioh is now as high' as the plant can stand. Alterations are now being made to provide more boiler space at tho Mercer Street power-house, but until the now main flue is erected tho new boilers, already in Wellington, cannot bo used, as they are to be orected on tlifc site of the present flue. In any case this work cannot ■bo completed in time' to afford uny relief to the mid■winter peak, so users of light between 4 pm. and 6.30 p.m. should, to help the authorities in their plight, exercise nil tlile care and economy possible in order to keep things going until the deficiency in plant can be made good.