ELECTRIC POWER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 140, 14 May 1940, Page 2

ELECTRIC POWER

ASSISTING THE' SUPPLY. DIESEL OIL PLANTS. WELLINGTON, May 14. Because of the difficulty of obtaining coal supplies, the Public Works Department has arranged for the power stations in Palmerston North and Hastings, which have oil-driven generating plants, to assist the general hydro-electric systems. A report from Hastings says that the Government has called on all Diesel plants to assist, and that the scheme will continue till the water supply is brought up to sufficient strength to enable sufficient current to. be generated to meet the heavy winter demands. The Chief Electrical Engineer of the Public Works Department (Mr F. T. Kissel) stated last evening that practically every power board in the North Island was connected with the general, hydro-electric power system. For the last two or three winters the department had been getting the Auckland and Wellington steam generating, plants to ease the load. Because of the difficulty this year of obtaining coal supplies, particularly in' Auckland,' the department had arranged for the power plants in Palmerston North and Hasting s , which had oil-driven plants, to help *y feeding into the system. Because of a shortage of water and coal at other power stations in the North Island, the Hawke’s Bay Power Board’s plant in Hastings and Maraetotara are working at full capacity. To do this the board is "using about 15.000 gallons, or 400 drums, ■of fuel oil every week. For the first time in years ail the motors , are working at capacity day and night, including motors direct current from which is being converted to .alternating current. • " The secretary-manager (Mr H. H. Wylie) said the consumption of fuel over the whole of the hydro electric systems was a terrific problem. In addition to the fact that so much was being used at a time when it was needed to be conserved, the handling and the shortage of drums provided another big problem. It was likely that that state of affairs would last for Mine weeks, or till the water supply was brought up to sufficient strength to enable enough current to he generated to,meet the heavy winter demands." “There is no power shortage in Auckland, but the Auckland Electric Power Board has anticipated any contingency by accumulating stocks of coal suitable for the generating plant at King’s Wharf,” said Mr R. H. Bartley (general manager to the board). TRAINS - CONSERVATION OF COAL. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND. May 13. To conserve coal, the Railway Department has cancelled until further notice all Sunday local passenger trains runmp-g to and from Auckland. The decision takes effect immediately, and there w : ll be no such trains next. Sun- ( day. The Main Trunk expresses are j not affected. The present Sunday time-i tables provide for nine outward trains 1 and the same number inward. With the onset' of winter Sunday, tram traffic shows- the usual s°asonal decline, hut the lack of rail transport may be felt by visitors to the Papakura military camp. ■ .