HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3894, 12 January 1929, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

SOUTH CANTERBURY SCHEME. TWO HUGE MACHINES. WELLINGTON, Jan. 10. The Minister of Public Works, Hon. E. A. Ransom, announces that tenders have been accepted by the Government for the first two _ units for electrical power generation in connection with the South Canterbury scheme on tire Waitaki River. The approach railway from Kurow is completed and work is in progress on the big gravity dam. The initial power development will be by two units, each generator having a capacity of 16,666, k.v.a. generated at 11,000 volts, this being

stepped up bv transformers to 110,000 voles for transmission. The generators are to bo coupled to reaction turbines of 23.000 horse-power each. Tlicv. will be similar to those installed at Arnpuni though much larger. These machines will L? impressive in tjfiiir dimensions as the diameter of the generator is 29 I et. Its speed will bo 125 revolutions per minute. The total weight of the generator and turbine is over 400 tons. The weighty of the moving parts, plus the hydraulic thrust, will be 250 tons. This will be carried principally on a thrustbearing similar to Hurt in success! ul operation in marine practice carrying tho impulse of the propellers. These giant machines will need a large supply of water. They are designed for a head of seventy feet, and the inlets will be a concrete continuation of the main dam. Each turbine will he fed through a water passage 30 feet wide and 20 fool deep, permitting a flow of 3000 cubic feet per second. The beadworks are designed for five units, the first two of which are to be constructed in England.