Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1921. A CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1921, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1921. A CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLE.

Rkkerhing again to hydro-electric supply for the district—a subject very much in the minds of the people hero just now—we ndtc there is a contemporary example of an electric installation at Ashburton just across the ranges, which is of interest and information. The consulting engineer to the Ashburton County Power Board is Mr J. R. Tcmplin, the gentleman whom it is intended to similarly employ here, and he has just reported on the Ashburton district scheme The report states that the country districts of the county are so scattered that a self-supporting scheme could not be evolved undertaking to connect every house. Therefore it was proposed to reticulate certain districts only, of which the following townships should be the centres and at which sub-stations would be established in Mayfield, Mount Somers, Methven, Hadficid (near Rakaia), Hinds and Winslbw. Doubtless similar conditions would obtain in Westland County, the settled districts in the Arnhura, Kokatnhi, and Hokitika valleys being the principal areas served off the main line which we take it would be a more direct connection between Knmara and Ross, and including, we hope, the town of Hokitika. Mr Tcmplin next proceeds to deal with the question of cost. Ho says:—The total cost of the equipment of those sub-stations and of the reticulation linos of 392 miles in length would be £160,373, exclusive of the Ashburton Electric Supply Company’s system and the borough’s plant. This together with the alterations necessary to supply the additional load and make the plant suitable to work in with Lake Colefidge is estimated to add £60,000 which brings the grand total to £220,373. On top of this must be added office buildings, employees’ bouses and laud; therefore, the total cost of the scheme is estimated at £230,000. In Westland it is probable that a reticulation service of 80 miles or one-fifth that of Ashburton would suffice at the outset. Roughly £32,000 would need to be provided for that purpose. Ashburton will buy its electric fluid in bulk from Coleridge, but. in Westland it. will bo necessary to dovelope it. The cost of this will require to be added, so that the total capita) cost of a Westland installation will be, probably not less than £IOO,OOO. In the Ashburton scheme there will be 1300 consumers in the county and 800 in the borough, but, the aggregate total of these is expected to reach 2,500 consumers. The Ashburton report states that there are approximately 200 shearing plants to be supplied, and, at the present time, slightly over 100 milking plants. With the advent of electricity it is safe to expect the number of milking plants will lx: considerably increased. Westland should have no difficulty in finding its quota of consumers on the same ratio as length of reticulation, say 500, while sawmilling plants will take the place of the shearing plants, and probably upwards of 50 milking plants ’might be looked for to be worked electrically in Westland. The total revenue. of the Ashburton scheme is estimated at £25,3.50, set against total working expenses of £27,450, including interest on the capital expenditure of 6 per cent and sinking fund at 1 per cent. 'There is thus a slight deficit 'on the scheme, but it is explained that the estimate is most conservative and in Ojctunl working increased demand may cause the estimated revenue to be exceeded. The rates for electric power to consumers should be a considerable improvement on ruling rates, although for lighting in the town of Ashburton them will remain very much as at present. From milking machines with a 2 h.p. motor it was expected an average revenue of £25 annually would he returned, shearing plants .should produce £lO and lighting £5 a year. The engineer advised the Power Board Committee to go to the ratepayers for a loan, and expressed the opinion that the scheme proposed was thoroughly sound financially. This example is useful as supplying a general guide on which an electric-power scheme is economically based, and those interested in the subject will find the foregoing of interest.