HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 40013, 22 October 1929, Page 3

HOROWHENUA POWER BOARD

REPORT BY THE ENGINEER

Reporting on the work of the past month the engineer (Mr. J. A. Smith) supplied the following particulars to the iHorowhenua Power Board last week: — Thirty new service lines have been erected, extra phases run on seven existing services, two service lines extended, and two temporary services put in. Eightyfive poles have-been fitted and erected and 347 chains of wire run out.

Three out-door sub-stations have been erected and one put into service, and a 25 k.v.a. condenser installed at the Whitaunui sub-sta-tion, a 22 k.v.a.at Levin, and a 6 k’v.n. moved from Levin to Packaknriki.

A shipment of 143 poles has been off-loaded and about 72 distributed on the Makerua-Rangitane section, and 18 to various other positions. Workshop.—The usual maintenance to vehicles was carried out and three laddolrs, two pikes and two cant-hooks eonslru‘eted; one 11,000-volt line switch and one 11,000-volt switch panel completed, and a large amount of line material made up,

Fifty-five single and four polyphase meters have been tested, and 33 single phase meters repaired and re-tested, and one range dried out and tested. The condensers installed at YVhi - taunui and Levin have resulted in a saving of between 11 and 12 k.v.a. in the last quarter’s account, as the peak occurred after their installation, redulcing. the amount that would have otherwise been paid for electricity by between £22 and £24.

The chairman (Mr. G. A. Monk), who moved the adoption of the report, said lie. hoped that- the condensers put in would be an indication of what might be a more extensive scheme. Mir. T. G. Vincent: How did the Public. Works Department view them?

The engineer: They favour them; they take up the same position as we do with our consumers —to get the best out of everything. In answer to a question by Mr. Vincent, the engineer stated that the cost of the condensers was £l2O each, plus the installation expenses, which would not amount to more than £ls for the two. The condensers would give, perhaps, twenty years’ service. It was necessary to condition them fairly frequently, as in the case of transformers. Mr. Vincent: Would it he a recommendation to the Shannon Dairy Co. or any other big consumers to instal them ? The engineer: I am going info that now. It would be the people on a k.v.a. basis.