ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5282, 1 June 1928, Page 4

ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

OPERATIONS DURING THE YEAR.

ENGINEER’S ANNUAL REPORT. The engineer’s] (Mr N. G. McLeod) report to the Thames Valley Power Board’s annual, meeting on Tuesday la.st contained the, following:— “I beg to submit the following report on the operation of andi affecting the board during the year ended March 31, 1928, this being the eighth year since the constitution of the. board and the seventh year in which power lias been made available by the board to its consumers. “The operations of the past, year ■may be looked upon as having been quite satisfactory, although there is a small loss shown on the year’s work, ing. Tse loss is du.e partly to the operations of the Daylight Saying Bill and partly to insufficiency of power : at the beginning of 1928. If conditions had been normal under these two heads there would have been no adverse balance. Further, a sum of over £4500 has been allowed for depreciation, this being the first year in which credit has been placed with this special account. “The maximum demand in kilowatts at the different feed points increased by 8.5 per cent., but the demand in k.v.a. increased by only 2.9 per cent., indicating a better power factor, fulfilling the expectation expressed last year regarding the operation of the synchronous condensers, the peak load power factor increasing from 89.4 per cent, last year to 93.5 per cent, this year. “The cost of purchased power, as a proportion of total revenue, has fallen from 31.7 per cent, last year to 29.1 per cent, this year, the unit cost falling also’ for maintenance, repairs, etc., and management, the latter being over 13 per cent, less than last year.

“The item regarding discounts is of some interest. Although the whole

amount shown, is not due solely to discounts allowed, it is a fa.ct that when consumers experience a. good year very few of them lofee their discounts.

“The total revenue per route mile, of feeder has risen from £l4O in 1925 to £l7O a mile for the past year, and the ratio of revenue to capital expen. diture from 13.2 pei* cent, in 192'5 to 16.5 per cent, for the pais : t year. “The operation of the system in general hqs been satisfactory during the past year, the greatest trouble being due to debris brought down to the screens at the Horahora. power station from the works in connection with the Arapuni scheme. All consumers were inconvenienced more or. less for the first two weeks in January of this year on account of thia.

“The dry weather of the past year has also had some effect, it being secessary for some of the special necessary for some of the special driven by their own power plants because of the shortage of water for, the hydro-electric plants supplying the main Horahora system. The prospects for the coming season look better. with regard to power supply. The new Diesel plant at Penrose is expected shortly to be in operation, and 1 the Auckland Power Board is prepared to give every assistance when it has plant available. “The work on the Arapuni power station now appears to be progressing satisfactorily, but although the department officers expect to have one unit in operation, by about August, 1929, they are not prepared to guarantee that this will be the case. If load grows in the coming year in a similar manner to what it has been doing some difficulty in regard to supply may be- expected in the winter of 1929? and it may be necessary to impose, s ome restrict’on at peak load hours. “The 50',000-volt line from Bombay across the Hauraki Plains to W;a.ikino, which has been put into operation during the past year, has been of great service indeed, duplicate supply being now available to each main feed point.

“The Kerepeehi sub-stfition put into service during year, and .although supply from it to the 11,000volt system was through temporary gear, a much welcomed improvement in voltage regulation was. experienced by ajl consumers; in the Hauraki Plains area.. : Since the end of thedast financial year the board’s, truck type cubicle switchboard has been put into operation at this station, .four .11,000volt feeders being supplied meantime. When the Public Works Department’s plant is completely installed the number of our, feeders will be increased to six.

“Provision is being made, for connecting both sides of the river at Kopu with cables, the bridge being used for carrying the cables on both sides of the opening spap, across which tlie cable, will, be sunk into a trepc,h at tihe bottom of the river. The necessary cable and gear ha.ve already been ordered. The Thame.s borough and the northern end of our district on the eastern side of the Waihou River will be fed from the, Kerepeehi station by means of these cables, the distance of transmission being reduced thereby by over 15 miles,, compared with their present supply from Waikinb. The whole of the northern end of the district will benefit from this, as well as from the fact that the bridge allows trouble calls to be more quickly dealt with, by the Turua. troubleman, the. distance being less than half that from Paeroa. whose troubleman previously had to attend to all calls. “The. 'Waihou sub-station. i,s also shortly to be, altered in its switching arrangements. Five fee,dens will be brought out in place of the present two main feeders, the necesssayy cable and attendant ge,ar being already to hand- This arrangement will reduce the area affected by trouble occurring on any of the 11,000-volt lines in this district. “The Public Works Department ha.s ordered the necessary switchgear for the new sub-station to be erected at Matamata, but this 'station cannot be in service before the new dairying season starts, it is expected to have a temporary station erected there for, the new season, however. This should overcome the difficulty of voltage regulation satisfactorily until the hew station i.s ready. The station, is

intended to have five lljOOO'-vol.t outgoing feeders, which should give, excellent supply to the district for some time to come. “The line construction work done during the year includes those giving supply to Maukoro, Kaihene, Patetonga, Wajtawheta, Station Road, Motumaoho ; Morgan’s Road, Perla; Parapara Road, Tirau ; and the Ohine,muri Mines, Maratoto.

“Increased loading or the provision for inter-connection has made necessary the raising of certain 3300-volt lines to 11,000 volts, those done during the past year including part -of the lines on Te Poi-Matamata road, Alexander Road, No. 7 Road, Waghorn’s Road, and Ngutumanga Road. “Half the board’s section for tree planting at Waitakaruru has been fenced and 20 acres of it planted with seedlings obtained from the Forestry Department. The principal variety was E. Eugenioides, of which 14,000 were planted. The severe weather immediately after, planing, and the very dry summer following, caused considerable mortality int he trees, about 45 per cent, being killedArrangements have been made for these to be replaced and a further section planted during the coming season. “The arrangements under which supply to the larger dairy factories has been, given up to March 31 this year have been altered as from that date, the Public Works Department not being satisfied with the old agreement. The new agreement, however, is quite protective to the board. CONDITION OF POLES. “The annual inspection of the, board’s, poles has been completed. Last year’s report stated that 54 poles were expected to be replaced during the ye,ar ; actually the number replaced Was 50, but of these four, had been burnt and two had been broken, by vehicles colliding with them- Of the remainder, it wa;s necessary to change a few of them because of their being rather small for the increased loading due to new construction. “On service lines 15 blue gum poles had to be changed) and six more require replacing shortly. These were found in the course of ordinary consumers’ installation inspections., which are in progress continuously. These replacements a.re at the expense of the consumer, the poles not being supplied by the board. “The approximate number of poles erected is 20,175 on the board’s; own, lines and 10,950 on services, a total' of about 31,125 poles. The total number, of poles replaced on .all l.ineis is 146 to date, or 0.47 per cent.”