The Dominion TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1943. HYDRO-ELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 20, 19 October 1943, Page 4

The Dominion TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1943. HYDRO-ELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT

The extensive plans prepared by Mr. F. T. M. Kissel, chief electrical engineer, for the development of hydro-electric installations in the North Island evidently were the basis of the references to the subject made by members of the Ministry in the last few weeks. The significant thing about them —apart altogether from the purely technical side —is that they have come so long after appeals were made for largely increased powers of supply. It was in 1936-37 that the various power boards, individually and collectively, urged strongly that more bulk power should be provided. And they have continued to press for action, but without much success. Five years ago - these local authorities, whose one concern is the distribution of electric power, and who were in a position to foresee, if not exactly estimate, the rapidly increasing demand, were told by the Minister of Works, that their views were erroneous. “The normal needs of the people,” the Minister said, “have been met and we have reached a point where gradual development will take place.” Events have proved that the power boards were right and the Minister wrong in this, important respect. The demand has continued to increase and even drastic restrictions on consumption have not been completely successful in tapering it off. The Dominion has no reserve of generating power, and the existing load, is said to be kept going solely by exceptionally good hydraulic conditions and/ the absence of any serious interruptions at the major generating stations. That is the position which the new plans have been designed to meet, but the time lost is irrecoverable. A developmental scheme to cover a period of ten years is all right, but those in close touch with the distributing side will probably feel that it is several years late. Action when the power boards stressed the need would have enabled much greater additions to have been made to 'the generating capacity, and even the outbreak of war need not have been an insuperable barrier. In other countries, notably Canada, huge plants have been commenced and brought into operation since the war began. One in Quebec costing over £20,000,000 was constructed during 1941 and 1942. Australia is reported to have purchased the plant necessary to extend her steam installations considerably, the contract being £1,300,000. It the other Dominions could secure the necessary machinery for these essential purposes there is no reason to conclude that New Zealand would have failed bad the matter been zealously pressed. The plans put forward by Mr. Kissel concern the establishment of generating plants along the Waikato River and at Waikaremoana. The sites mentioned on the river recall names and places discussed even before the selection of Arapuni as the most suitable, Maraetai especially having numerous advocates in the South Auckland district. The position apparently is that there should be another iimt operating at Waikaremoana before next winter, and possibly an additional unit.at Arapuni. Karapiro may be added to the service by 1945, and in the meantime potential developmental work is to be put m hand at least one of the other major'installations further up the Waikato. The high earnings of the service, funds for various reserves can be reinvested in these undertakings. The demand has been proved. It has overtaken the supply, and no phase or public “works can be developed with greater confidence regarding the financial results. But the gap which this extensive plan has been designed to bridge need not have been so wide, or the work so completely a matter for the future, had the Government not swept aside some years ago the views of those connected with the distribution of the service, and who clearly foresaw the difficulties that have since arisen.