TROUBLE AT HORAHORA.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 224, 16 February 1928, Page 3

TROUBLE AT HORAHORA.

POWER IN THAMES VALLEY Extent of the Stoppages. Steps to Maintain Supply. A considerable amount of inconvenience has been caused to power consumers by the trouble experienced at Horahora from Arapuni debris since January 1. The staff of the Thames Valley Power Board has made every effort to distribute the power available to the best advantage, and consumers generally have been very considerate under what to them also have been trying circumstances.

The position was the subject of a detailed report by the engineer, Mr. N. G. McLeod, at Tuesday’s meeting of the board. “ Latterly there has been very little trouble from Horahora supply, but there is no indication of what may be expected in case of floods in the Waikato,” said Mr. McLeod. He added that Horahora had been carrying full load on seven' of the eight turbines, since January 29, and the eighth was expected to be in operation in about a week. The Diesel plant at Penrose was expected to be working by July, and this should help a little. The stoppages experienced since January 1 have been as follows:

Waikino Feed Point.—Fourteen complete stops on nine days with stoppage time of 17 hours 20 minutes. There was an additional sectional stop on one of the nine days involving Thames road and Waikino, of 7 hours 55 minutes.

Kerepeehi Feed Point.—Sixteen complete on 11 days, with a total time of 17 hours 3 minutes. This record is not necessarily complete, as there is no permanent attendant yet at Kerepeehi station. Waihou Feed Point.—No. 1 feeder was cut off for Horahora trouble 22 times on 12 days for a total time of 44 hours 54 minutes. No. 1 was cut off also for T-V. faults on four occasions on three days for a total of 15 minutes. No. 2 feeder was cut off for Horahora trouble 19 times on nine days for a total time of 33 hours 49 minutes. No. 2 was cut off also for T.V. faults on two occasions on two days for a total of 1 hour 9 minutes. As far as possible, it was arranged that the dairy factories should receive supply during the day when the milking load had finished, and to do this the factories were switched on to No. 2 feeder. Horahora Feed Point. Complete stoppages to the Matamata area took place on 25 occasions on 10 days, for a total time of 44 hours 26 minutes. There was no general interruption of power from January 29 until Sunday, February 5, when further cleaning of the screens and examination of the head race took place. Supply was available from Tauranga, however, and all factories were supplied. The chairman (Mr. F. Strange) said the executive officers of the board had had a very anxious time. On the Monday morning when the trouble commenced he and the manager (Mr. Sprague) went to Horahora and found that the position was very bad, tea-tree and bracken being piled to a height of five or six feet. The screens were cleared sufficiently to enable two turbines to run. The trouble now appeared to be a heavy sand which got into the headrace and silted up round the turbines. The trouble was the uncertainty. “ What will happen when the first fresh comes ? ” he asked. “ The river is Cutting a course down the middle and the hope is held that a fresh will do some good. The only thing is to urge the upkeep of the auxiliary plants.

The board should press for the early completion of the Grand Junction works, Mr. Strange went on. The McLaren’s falls station could supply only 1000 h.p. instead of 2000 on account of the drought. The position was far from satisfactory. The board had been in touch with the works ever since the trouble had started, and everything possible had been done by the Public Works Department officers, who were deserving of sincere thanks. Farmers and other consumers were also to be thanked for their forbearance and patience in a trying period. On the motion of Cr. Judd it was decided to purchase a stop-watch as requested. Lavatory Accommodation. Cr. Allen mentioned that he thought the time had arrived for the provision of lavatory accommodation at the council’s offices. Cr. Rollett supported the suggestion and pointed out that the staff was now a large one. I*: was decided that the wqrks committee report on the matter at the next meeting.

Mr. McLeod said that since January 29 there had been practically no stoppages except during last Sunday. Mr. Price said there had been several stoppages in Matamata in the past few days. He understood it was the switches that had gone out. The engineer said he had only heard of the trouble the previous day, and he had spnt an officer to inspect and report. If the switches were set too low they would have to be raised.

Mr. Price said that although the stoppages were only of short duration they were annoying to farmers and caused loss, particularly in separating. The chairman read a wire sent to the department on January 27 protesting against the power stoppages and urging that a statement of the position should be placed before the board at the February meeting. This, he added, had not been forthcoming. There were many rumours concerning the voltage at Horahora, and the board wished to know just what the position was. The chairman said the Public Works Department had notified the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company that it would not be able to continue the supply to the factories under the three-party agreement after March 31. The Waitoa factory had not been receiving power at all during the present quarter, as, under the agreement between the board, the department and the factories, the Public Works Department could, if necessary, call on the factories to carry their own load. This would affect the board’s position very seriously, as, in order to supply the new condensed milk factory at Waitoa, together with the dried milk factory, the board had recently purchased a new 600-k.w. transformer, together with switching gear, cables, etc., at a cost of approximately £SOO. This plant was now thrown on the board’s hands.

Altogether the board had supplied plant of an approximate value of £2OOO to give supply uiyler this agreement, and it would be advisable to have a conference between the three parties interested to go thoroughly into the matter as soon as possible. The Auckland Board was very concerned at the position, he continued. A conference of power supply authorities was held in. Hamilton with the Public Works Department, when all the possible sources of supply that could be brought in were scheduled. At the same time each representative of a power board was

asked what would be his board's increase in load for a year. When this was totalled it was still found that there would be ample power to supply all. The Thames Valley Board put in an estimate of an additional 600 horse-power. Mr. Strange thought the result of that conference should be held to and the increase granted. If this was done there would be sufficient to tide the board over. He thought it should be urged that the department complete the Penrose plant and the Waihi Grand Junction plant. He moved that a conference should be held between the dairy factory representatives and the board representatives with the Public Works Department officials. If the result was not satisfactory the manager and himself should be authorised to interview Mr. Kissel, chief electrical engineer. Mr. Bush seconded.

The engineer, when asked for his views, said the chairman had traversed the position as he himself saw it. As far as he knew, the Government did not propose to break the three-party agreement, but only to hold it in abeyance until Arapuni was working. The motion was carried.