HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1678, 24 February 1917, Page 3

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

In re]dying to a deputation from Wellington local bodies which waited on him on Wednesday in regard to a hydro-electric scheme for the dipt riel, the Alinisler for Public Works (Hon. W. Fraser) said be could not consider the Wellington scheme without considering schemes for the whole of the North Island. Air Parry, Chief Electrical Engiui er, had prepared an interim reporton the subject, which he would hand to I he press. The first question lo he considered was the main source ot the supply of (lower. One of the first things Mr Parry had thought of was (o gel one central station, one central source ot power, lor the whole of the North Island. It might have been possible to do so, hut there were difficulties in the way, the chief being that the lines ot transmission would have had to go over very long distances, perhaps hundreds of miles, and then' mu.-t he a road alongside. THREE SOURCES. It, had been decided to have three sources, so far as they could decide anything at present. The source for Wellington would he the Manga - hoa river. The lota! cost of supplying Wellington, Palmerston, Wanganui and (listriel would he Cl,000.0(10. That would include (he transmission plant. In any case, however, Parliament would have lo pas,- the scheme before anything could he done. He recognised that Wellington would he the biggest consumer, and therefore produce the largest return in the quickest lime. Put it had to be remembered that while the war was on machinery could not be imported. The deputation would like to know how much of the £1,000,000 would be required to bring the water from the power-house and distribute it along the line between Shannon and Wellington. It was intended lo create 20,000 horse-power. He had talked the mailer over with Mr Parry, and he considered I hat it was not necessary to create the whole of it right away. Certain works would have to he done lo the full limit, but other works could he curtailed. COST OK WELLINGTON SUPPLY. He had asked for an estimate of what it would eosl to supply Wellington with about .10,000 horsepower, and he found that it could he done for about £448.000. .However, until the war was over they could not get the machinery; even if they had live millions to spend, it could not he imported. The Mayor (Mr J. P. Lake) : What would he t he cost per unit ! Tin' Mini-ler said the Department had not considered any scheme which would cost mure than £2O per horse-power, capita! cost. The Government was al present producing power al a lower cost by one-half than it could he produced by any other system. If Parliament agreed there was nothing to prevent certain preliminary works being eain a d out, hut in any ease he did not think they could get power lo Wellington until I wo years and it half to three vears after the works had been commenced. , MR. PARRY’S REPORT. In the course of a long and cx-hau-tive report, Mr Parry, alter reporting adversely on the Hull river as a source of supply, says; — “After considerable investigation the most suitable source for tin* supply of the soul hern district is found to he the .Mangahao river. This river rises on the slopes of Mount Oimdas, on I hi' Tara run ranges, and Hows into the M;inawaln near Woodville, and it is found that by diverting through the hills for a total distance of three mill's there is made available the fall of 1.044 feet in the 05 miles of river between the Manga hao and the loop of the Alanawafn near Shannon. It is proposed to develop this source by tunnelling through the range from the Mangahao into the Tokomarn Valley, there diverting a part of the Tokomarn, and then from the Tokomarn Valley through into the valley of the Mangaore, with a power-station situated within three miles of the railway at Shannon. “IN COURSE OF TIME.” “Observations of the (low were made during last season, which was exceptionally dry, and are also being made during the present season, and, based upon the dry season Jlow, it is possible to obtain 25,000 horsepower on a 50 per cent, loud factor basis, by impounding (he waters and taking advantage of the mi I lira! t eal arcs of the country for the purpose. This is sufficient to satisfy the power requirements of the district which it is intended to serve for some time to come, hut will require to he supplemented in due course as the country develops. The natural extensions of the transmission lines from three sources will ultimately link them together, so (hat by this means security will be obtained, and also additional supply obtained for the Wellington district from the other sources. It is possible, however, that, in course of lime, the requirements will be so great as to require another development in the Taranaki district, where there is more than one promising source/' STAND-BY FNIT Air Parry goes on Lo say that he proposes to provide an additional power unit so as to permit of the overhaul and repair of machinery. He propose- that the standby unit should be a complete steam set, and “instead of installing the steam unit at the power-house to take advantage of the fad that Wellington

city has already a steam plant installed which N of the capacity required for the purpose aforesaid, and as they will deem it advisable and prudent to maintain this in running condition to provide against temporary interruptions of the supply, which are inevitable on every transmission system, there should be no dillieully about coming to terms for the use of this plant for relieving the load on the water-power plant in case of necessity. Some modification of (he existing Wellington plant may be necessary to (it in with this scheme, but this is a detail about which there should be no difficulty in a matter which is to the advantage ot both parties. ADVANTAGE OK CONCENTRATION. “The cost of providing headworks. power station, and plant for 25,000 horse-power would he at normal prices £420,000, which is under the limit of £2O per horsepower specified above. This illustrates the supply for a considerable district in one source. If, for instance, we sough! to provide for the needs of Wellington City and immediate neighbourhood only from this source, the cost of hydraulic works for the power required would be excessive. whereas, when developed for the full capacity and for the bene fit of a larger area and population, it becomes a sound commercial proposition.

As regards the area to he supplied, there is an economical limit to Hie area over which a given amount of [lower can be distributed, and one of the obstacles fo a satisfactory scheme of power supply in New Zealand at present is the small amount of power required per square mile of area supplied. Having regard lo this principle, and stretelling it to the limit, we should be working on economical lines in serving the following districts from this source-—the whole of the Wellington province as far north as Taihape, and Wanganui, and the southern portion of Hawke’s Bay. I would propose, in the first plaee, lo mu trunk lines lo Wellington, Palmerston North, Wanganui and Mas-, terlon as chief centres, and from these centres, as well as from intermediate points on the trunk lines, to provide Hie necessary distribution lines and suh-staiions to serve the surrounding (listriels. TOTAL OF £1,000.000. “The cost of providing the trunk lilies, distribution lines, sub-stati-ons, anil other services to give a supply in bulk to local distributing anlliorilies, and to large power Users throughout this area, would be £580,000, making a total of £1,000.000, which expcnililnre is at Hie rate of £4O per horse-power. “The capital charges on this expenditure, al 71 per cent., to include interest, depreciation, and sinking fund, work out al £3 per horsepower. The annual eosl of maintenance and operation would amount to £25,000 per annum, or the equivalent of £1 per horse-power per nimuin. Both charges require a return of £4 on Hie average per horse-power per annum, in order to provide for all charges with a reasomihle provision for depreciation. We know by experience in Christchurch (hat we can secure (his revenue without difficulty, even where economical fuel plants arc already installed.

“The devi'lopmenl of the Mangahao would help Wellington out ol a dillieully. and from Hie Government's point of view, Wellington aloiie would provide an immediate load oji Hie station of about oiieIhinl its capacity, and would enable the large area outline'll above to be supplied al Hie same lime both economically and advantageously, and the prospective markets in these districts, combined with the natural increase in Wellington, should absorb the balance of [lower available in a very short lime. IMPORTANT CONFERENCE IN PALMERSTON. There was a large and representative gathering of delegates present at the conference held at Palmerston on Thursday to discuss the hydro-elect rie scheme for the North Island, almost every local body and Chamber of Commerce between Wanganui and Wellington being represented. Mr T. R. Hodden, president of the Palmerston Chamber, was in the chair. The following motions were [Hissed —■ “That this conference, recognising the magnitude of the undertaking and the many details eonneeled therewith, urges upon the Government the necessity of pushing on with the work as early as possible*, and suggests that a great deal of the preliminary work lie gone on with, even while the war is in progress,”

“Thai the co-operation of the members of Parliament for the North Island be secured.”

“That a Vigilance Committee consisting; of the presidents of the Chambers of Commerce between Wellington and Wanganui, also the Alayors of the same towns, together with two business men from the respective Chambers, and a delegate from County Councils he appointed to keep this important matter continually before their bodies, to keep in touch with their respective members of Parliament, and to report within six months.” “That it be a recommendation to local bodies to ascertain the amount of power required in their localities.’' It was deeided lo ask Air A. Seifert to report lo (he Wanganui conference on what had transpired at the Palmerston conference, thus obviating I lie necessity for delegates from the different local bodies.