BAY POWER BOARD

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 246, 13 October 1939, Page 2

BAY POWER BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING DUPLIUATIH ARAPUNI LINE NOW IN OPERATION - 'Jr....:."•■*[ The- monthly meeting of the Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board was held in the Board’s , office, Opotiki, on Tuesday. Present: Messrs. W. TV Burrett (chairman). J. W. Sumner, J, A. Mitchell, W. A. Gault-;, F. J. Burt, D, Spence, S. Maxwell and Mr. J. D_ Dicker (engineer-manager), and Mr. G_ A. Hathaway (secretary). The minutes, of the previous nu-nthly meeting were confirmed and inward correspondence read and approved. Included in the inward correspondence were several letters dealing with, the proposed acquisition of land in the Whakatane borough for building purposes. It was decided to proceed in. the endeavours t'oi secure the necessary power to acquire the land. The,.balance-sheet 'has been returned, without a “tag”. M'r. Hathaway said, that the board had not had u “tag” on any “balance-sheet since it came into operation. ' f ,■ ’ The engineer manager’s report wasread and approved. referred with satisfaction t 0 the increased use of water-heaters, special reference being made to the improvement- in the number in dairy sheds. .Mr. Dicker said that chip and other heaters were being replaced by the electric heaters and said that- the stronger elements were giving general satisfaction. Mr.- Dicker also stated that after a long delay, the new duplicate lino had been put into, operation. The Department had overhauled the old line from Arapuni to Ngongotalia.

A lengthy,.circular was received from the Department in connection with central control under the Electricity Emergency Regulations. Dir. Dicker dealt'fully with a number of points and members commented on the likely outcome of some' of the regulations. Mr. Burt asked if supply could he given to Oncpu settlers on the To. Teko-Rotorua- road. He expressed the opinion that with a further block coming into development that the extension would be warranted. Mr. Dicker explained the position at some length and pointed out that the board could* not- go into extensions without having a sound guarantee of the proposition being a paying one. In his opinion the board would not be justified in. making the extension, but if satisfactory arrangements could be .made with the department which controlled the farifi schemes it would he a different matter. Members supported the engineer’s stand and it- was decided to write to the department havjng jurisdiction over the lands

in question. Mr. Dicker, in referring to the portion of reclaimed land in the Whakutanc borough, said! that at present neither Whukatane Borough Council nor the Bay of Plenty Power Board had a right to supply power to the area. He suggested that the Wliakataiie Council he notified of the position, so that this area could he included in the same application as for. the AVhakatane Heads, and so save unnecessary expense to the council. Aleinhers agrood that the hoard did not want the aieii in the reclamation.

I'jNG I NK'IOR-M A NAG KR’,B RE PORT I hereby submit the following report for the ahovt* month : Line Greet ion : 7.71 miles 11,000-volt lines. 08.22 route chains of 401) volt. on 11.000' volt lines. 10.00 route-. chains of 4t.H> volt lines. 2 10 k.v.a. transformers erected complete with * structures. Consumers’ Service Lines: 25 new service lines completed -totalling 1 15.0 P rente chains of line. 4 service lines, dismantled totalling 21.80 chains. I uder the recent Electricity EmergencyRegulations dated sth. September, all I'utuie extensions must he submitted to the Electricity Controller, and sanction obtained! before ! erection can bocommenced. This regulation also applies to service lines in excess of 10 chains. During the .month, as called for l»y the above regulations, a complete stock schedule has been compiled covering line materials, motors, etc., and in future a similar schedule is required each month. Line 'Maintenance; During the above period four interruptions occurred mt sections of the .Board’s reticulation. The most, serious was caused by .the breaking hi' an 11.000 volt conductor on the Thornton end of the Rangitpiki feeder and resulted in the branch being out for 2 hours 25 minutes. One 11.000 volt strain and.' two pin type (Continued on Page 4.)