ELECTRIC POWER

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1933, Page 19

ELECTRIC POWER

METHOD OF CHARGING

The method adopted by tho Public Works Department of charging for electricity on the highest half-hourly peak in the quarter was subjected to some criticism at the Power Boards' Conference yesterday and it -was decided to tek'fot the charge to bo made-on. the. average of the threomonthly peaks, each, monthly peak to be of thirty minutes'duration. Mr. J. T* Johnson (Te Awamutu) said that the proposed system would be more equitable than that at present in force. In many cases power boards represented both town and country areas and there was a danger, .especially in dairying districts, of being caught with high peaks during April in one quarter and during September in another; at other times in tho quarters the revenue fell considerably. The effect of the elements on peak load charges was also an important matter for consideration. '

Mr. F. T. M. Kissel," Chief Electrical Engineer of the Public Works Department, said that the question affected the cities to a much greator extent than the country areas, where accidental peaks were not so likely to occur. If the conference thought that the charges should be made on monthly peaks he' was quite in agreement, but the cost would have to go up. The Department was obliged to get a certain amount of revenue by one.means or another,»and it was convinced that the present system was the fairest and most equitable.-

Another TCmit ufgeel that in view of tho fact that power boards and supply authorities throughout tho Dominion had drastically cut down all expenditure to tho minimum to meet the-times, the- Government bo urgently requested to Teduce tho charge for the first 200 k.v.a. of maximum demand from £10 to £8 per k.v.a.

After several spea-kers had expressed their views, Mr. Kissel said that the remit was not acceptable to the Government. A deficit of approximately £.500,000 in the electricity supply account had to be made up before any reduction in charges could be considered. Although at the present time no reduction could be offered, Mr. Kissel said he could claim that the present system was quite good and that the power boards were virtually getting reductions because the system originally conceived,by.the Government had been built up on right lines and boards had been able, on the average, to make certain profits, accumulate reasonable sinking and depreciation funds, and reduce charges to their consumers.