WELL CATERED FOR

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1933, Page 11

WELL CATERED FOR

POWER SUPPLIES

HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEMES

FACTS AND FIGURES

Marty illuminating facts.and figures .about hydro-electrk developments in New Zealand were adduced last night by Mr. F. T. M. Kissel, chief electrical engineer of the hydro-electrical branch of the Public Works Department, when addressing a general meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society

After reviewing the law relating to the development in the Dominion, of water power and electrical energy, Sir. Kissel quoted figures showirjg the amount collected in latcs for the purpose, the loans raised, and tho capital expenditure Some of tho earlier country reticulation schemes, ho said, before tho restraining influence of the Loans Board was available, may have been too ambitious in spreading out into areas that ■ have not been profitable. For the last seven or eight years, however, greater caution had been observed, and in no cases now were lines being built or extended into areas unless sufficient revenue was in sight to provide a reasonable roturn on the investment. In many ca*e« the Loans Board was insisting on a guaranteed revenue equal to 17 per cent, of tho capital cost being availablo before authorising loans for extension purposes. After showing maps of both islands which marked the transmission and distribution lines, Mr. Kissel said: "Tho first impression gathered from a glance at theso maps would probably bo that tho electrical development scheme has not proceeded very far. There is still a very large proportion of blank space. The total area of tho Dominion is about 103,000 square miles, and of this area about 10,250 square miles in the South Island and 10,930 square miles in tho North Island may be considered as being within reticulated areas. In other words, electricity is available in about 21,180 squaro miles, or in slightly over SO per cent, of the total area. 10,280 of the 10,930 squaro miles reticulated in the North Island are connected to the Government system, and only 650 are supplied from other authorities' generating plants. In the South Island, on the other hand, the Government system supplies only 4640 square miles, whilst other' authorities supply 5611 square miles. Contracts have been entered' into, however, by which 990 square miles of this area will roceivo pnrt at least of supply from the Government. "When, however, we consider the nature of the country in most of these blank white spaces on the map, the position appears in totally different light. The blank spaces are very largely mountainous, or areas in which, for .some reason or other, population is sparse. Statistical figures, however, placo a very different complexion on the matter. Electric supply is available to about 93 per cent, of the population, and each unit of population within that area has used on the average 452 units of electricity duringthe past year.?' UNITS AND COSTS. Brief details of tho capacities of the principal sources of supply in both tho North and the South Island were- then given and future plans for interconnecting links were outlined. Of the total power generated in the Dominion during th» past year, 96.3 per cent. (798,417,321 units) was generated 3n the 26 plants which might be considered to represent the basic supply stations. Of the remainder, 3.2 per cent. (26,537,572 units) was generated in 14 plants mainly for stand-by, peak reduction, or other special circumstances, while the remainder of 0.5 per 'cent. (4,329,878 units) was generated in various other smaller plants supplying in the main more or less isolated communities. Of the total units generated during tho year (829,284,771), 79.6 per cent. (660,361,5*48 units) was generated by Government-owned stations, and a further 1.4 per cent, in stations controlled by the Governriient but owned and operated by tho local authority. Of the total units generated, 98.4 per cent, were from water power. In boroughs or "town board areas where electricity was available, Government power was used in 108 cases and power generated elsewhere in 39 cases. Tho total capital invested by public supply authorities was at March 31 last £32,546,205. Of this, * 12,046,552 represented expenditure by tho Government, and £20,499,653 by various supply authorities. Tho average cost per unit for ordinary domestic purposes, from an analysis of records from 37 supply authorities, was 1.31 pence. The average revenue per unit for all purposes was now 1.42 pence. Comparing fh© average American price with a consumption of 550 units per consumer per annum with the New Zealand price with a consumption of 1067 units per consumer per annum, tho average American price was 2.6 pence against New Zealand's 1.143. In particular, analysis showed that the proportion of total cost represented by generation was much lower in New Zealand, but that tho cost represented by distribution was relatively higher. This latter- was no doubt due to the fact that the consumers per mile of Uno or per square mile of area reticulated was very much lower thau is the case of tho American comparison. The average consumption in Yorkshire per consumer per annum was about 515 units, somewhat less than the American figure and considerably less than the New Zealand. .In this country the population of the reticulated areas, including cities and towns, was only about 70 per square mile, and tho consumers only 15 per square mile, or only about one-fifth and one-tliird respectively of what hold good in Yorkshire, yet the average selling price of power to the domestic consumer was 1.143 ponce in. New Zealand as compared with 2.9 pence .in .Yorkshire. _