MANGAHAO HYDIRO-ELECTRIC WORKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3851, 29 September 1928, Page 1

MANGAHAO HYDIRO-ELECTRIC WORKS.

HEAVY OPERATING COST. PURCHASED POWER W|ORTH £lll,OOO. In his report on the Hydro-elec-tric progress of the Dominion, the Minister of Public Works (Hon. Iv. S. Williams) states: —“The past year at Mangahao has been a critical one, owing to the severe drought which was experienced in all the western districts of New' Zealand during last summer. The financial position can be summarised as follows : Capital £2,373,921 Revenue £155,857 Operating expenses £145,659 Balance £10,198 The balance has been sufficient, to pay only 0.49 per cent, towards

the interest charges for the year. The operating expenses are particularly heavy, because of the purchase of power from other plants connected to the system, amounting to £111,745.

The Department was faced, when the drought commenced, with the problem of deciding whether it should endeavour to supply all the demands made on the plant, or whether it should restrict its bulk supply consumers to the actual amounts of power which they are guaranteed to take when contracts for supply were originally made. It was decided that it would be better to make every endeavour to supply the needs of the community, even at considerable expense, rather than to curtail supply in an attempt to make a better appearance in this year’s balance-sheet'. The financial difficulties of the scheme during the past year are an index of the actual success of electric supply in the district, rather than t an indication of any failure on its part, in that the excessive cost of operation was due very largely to the rapid rate at which the demand for power has grown. “The following table shows the actual demand of the various supply authorities during the year, as compared with the load equivalent of the amount they were prepared to guarantee for this year, when the contracts were originally made: — Power Board Guar. Load Load ’ for Year.

“The difficulties were accentuated by the fact that the upper dam on the Mangahao, which was completed and available for storing water in January, 1928, could not be filled until after the drought had broken in April. Even with this additional storage, however, difficulties would have been experienced, as the plant has always been rated as being able to supply 1,600,000 units per week, whereas immediately before the drought and immediately after it the Tmtput has been between 2,000,000 and 2,400,000 units per week 1 . “The main item of construction during the year has been the completion of the upper dam on the Mangahao river. In anticipation of supply being obtained at an early date from Wlaikaremoana, condensers and additional switch-gear are being installed in some of the main substations to secure better service. The operation of the plant has given very little trouble during the year, and the number of interruptions on the main transmission-line has been very considerably reduced, as compared with the previous year.” WAITAKI AND ARAPUNI. The most noteworthy fact in connection with hydro-electric development has been the decision of the Government to proceed with the development of power on the Waitabi river, in order to be ready for the time when the increasing demand of the east-eoast district exceeds the capacity of Coleridge. What is regarded as the last unit for Lake Coleridge station is being obtained. It would he possible to still increase this station by the diversion of other streams, but it is considered that another station in South Canterbury, dividing the distance between Coleridge and Waipori, best ■fits in with the general scheme of development. The Government has taken over the Arapunui works from the contractors; good progress is being made, and I am confident that when 1 present my next statement, I shall be able to state that the northern part of the North. Island has been beyond the power of being effected

by the vagaries of the weather, owing to the connection on to the present transmission system of the station now approaching completion at Waikaremoana. It is expected that the total expenditure this yegr will be £1,260,000.

Kv.a. Kv.a. Wgtn. City Council 6,370 10,496 Horowhenua 720 2j333 Hutt Valley 1,200 2,372 Manawatu-Oroua 1,100 2,093 Dannevirke 270 470 Tararua 400 468 Wairarapa 282 465 Wanganui 875 2,088 Central Hawke’s Bay 240 - 476 Hawke’s Bay 800 2,136