Mtn power job waits for the melt?

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 429, 24 March 1992, Page 1

Mtn power job waits for the melt?

While operators at Mount Ruapehu's Whakapapa skifield are hopeful of an early start to the new ski season, one organisation is praying for the remaining snow to melt, and soon. King Country Energy is currently upgrading the power reticulation on the skifield, but has been unable to complete

the job because last year's heavy snowfalls have not yet melted. Chief engineer Colin Martin told the March board meeting that about 70 percent of the cable has been laid, with all jointing to be finished by the end of next week. Chairperson Ken Street asked whether the weather was really a problem and was told

that workers had to endure some pretty unpleasant weather the previous week, after a long spell of good weather. If the past week's spell of bad weather marked the start of winter, Mr Martin said "we've got problems". Lifting transformers onto the skifield required heavy lift helicopters,

while planned shutdowns on the field to decommission some old equipment and install and commission new plant was weather dependent. The March meeting was told that 1 1 drums of 50mm high voltage cable totalling 5500 metres in length have been paid over rugged terrain

on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu. "This work over the past few weeks is something of a marathon effort considering all the equipment and cables had to be man-handled into position. The stringent guidlines of ourselves, Department of Conservation staff and supervisors to proTurnpage 2

Whakapapa electricity

From page 1 tect the flora and fauna of the area is to be admired." The project has involved laying a new supply line from the Chateau to the Top of the Bruce (replacing the overhead line with one on the ground) plus extending the reticulation on the skifield itself to bring in areas previously serviced by diesel generators, which at the same time improves security of supply for other parts of the field. The exercise has been a joint effort between King Country Energy, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts and the Department of Conservation, Mr Martin said. "Opportunity has been taken to underground power lines in the Whakapapa Village, with the Department of Conservation providing us with the personnel to do the trenching."