POWER SHORTAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1930, Page 1

POWER SHORTAGE

FEARED AT COLERIDGE

(By Telegraph—Press Association) ! GHR 18TOHURCH, Aug. 25. To-day, for the first time since early in March, the inflow into Lake Coleridge exceeded the outflow for the generating of electric power, and the lake maintained its level. The weather this evening is favourable 'Tor more rain, and the Public Works engineers are hopeful that by Monday the fear of a power shortage will be materially relieved. For' tbe twenty-four hours ended at 9( a.m. to-dav, .48 inches of rain fell in the basin of the Harper River, making the total .78 for the last two days. The flow, from the Harper into the lake increased from 170 to 620 ensees and other feeders added 150 cusers. The rain, though not heavy, marks the end of a long drought, and makes the position more hopeful. The Mayor. Mr Archer, has appealed to the citizens to economise in the use of current for radiators, water heaters, machinery and shop lighting. Unless more rain falls before the middle of September, there will be no water available from the storage. The only water available will be from the streams flowing into the lake, which ' is only sufficient to carry a load ol 8000 kilowatts: The normal load is about 26,000 kilowatts. '•Th e second intake tunnel at tbe lake is now covered to a deptli of six feet with water. Men are working with horse scoops to keep the channel open to the first tunnel, hut, nowhere is the depth of the channel more than three feet. A start is being made to divert tbe Archeron, a small snowfod streamlet, into the lake. Ihe average flow of the Acheron is about fifty cus'eos. This work will cost upwards of £ls, gOO. and will occupy three months-.' The work cannot possibly be completed in time to. relieve the present situation, for if the. le--. of, the lake continues to fall at the present rate, of two and a-half fe( t per month, the plant will he practical!' out of action in six weeks.