ELECTRICITY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1929, Page 5

ELECTRICITY

SOUTH''AiSiIOAN ELECTRICAL ‘ J V DE^LQPMENTS. The developmentof electrical power proceeds: apace with the march of industrial progress in South Africa, and the demand for supplies of current is increasing. It was realized by the authorities several years ago how important an ample supply of electricity was to industrial undertakings, and since the Electricity Act was passed in 1922 the progress in the establishment of sources of electric power and the capacities of existing plants have increased.

The period 1925, to 1927 witnessed a consistent increase in the amount of electric current ' gathered in South Africa. Among the largest users of electric power in the Union are the various tramways, and of late they have maintained a ‘fairly steady consumption. A power station at Colenso, which generates poweri for the Natal Railway i " electrification' scheme, together with twelve sub-stations and high-tension cross-country transmission lines, was completed in 1926 and handed over to the control of the Electricity Supply Commission under the terms- of the Electricity. .Act. The mines also consume a large amount of electricity for both power and light, and .are considered important factors. According to the American Trade Oommissoner at Johannesburg, efforts to develop the domestic load in the municipal area of Durban have been pressed during the past three years with a fair degree of success, and the per capita consumption in that town exceeds that in other large centres. The new Congella station was completed and put into commercial operation in 1928; and Johannesburg is proceeding with a. second 10,000 kilowatt set at the new Jeppe Street Station; whilst Capetown has registered a large increase in the output during the past two years, Indications of the increased use of electricity in the Union are manifested by the substantial increase in imports of electrical machinery of recent years. The value of the 1927 imports- was £1,498,907, of which the greater part came from the United Kingdom. The British influence in the South African electrical industry is very strong, and a considerable number of technical advisers and engineers have been trained in English universities. During last year there was a decline of about £IOO,OOO in the value of electrical machinery imported by South Africa, but supplies of electrical material increased by nearly £30,000 to £790,561.