POWER BOARD’S STATION AT WERAROA.

Shannon News, 12 June 1923, Page 2

POWER BOARD’S STATION AT WERAROA.

♦ ' BUILDING ALMOST! COMPLETED. HOW THE CURRENT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED. The Horowhenua Power Board’s new building opposite the railway station at Weraroa is now rapidly approaching completion, and with its designation prominently displayed on the front elevation serves to bring nearer to the public the reality that power from Mangahao is daily coming nearer and nearer. The block has attracted considerable attention and a “News”- representative . was able to gather from Mr T. R. Overton, the Board’s engineer, some interesting details as to its purpose- and functions. The building, for which Mr A. E. Standen, of Levin, is the contractor, has been constructed in re-inforced concrete with the exception of the rear wall. This is- of corrugated iron with a view to future additionis 'being inexpensively made. The ground space contained by the walls is approximately 4560 square feet, and this is partitioned into a switch-room, a motor garage, stores, a test room, offices for the Line Inspector and the Installation Inspector, and a workroom. When operations are in full swing the building will be -the scene of great activity. Iri the garage the cars -and trucks used in inspection and constructional work will be housed and repaired. The stores .will hold the material for the different branches of the work, such ais cables, insulators, bolts, cross arms, etc. The test room will be utilised for the correction of all instruments and meters', the whole ■ of the instruments for the Power Board’s district being dealt with here. Repairs to machinery and plant will be effected in the workshop. It will thus he- -seen that the building at Weraroa will be a centre of industry so far a.s the Power Board’s operations are, concerned.

Tlie pillars that are noticeable at one corner of the building will eventually support a platform that will receive the main 11,000 volt transmission line, which will pass along the front of the block. These cables will he of bare copper and will pass through openings in the wall below into the switchroom. Leading out from, the building will 1 he ia number of service lines, the 11,000 volt line being purely a transmssion one. The system of distribution that ha,s' been adopted may here be opportunely mentioned. The current will be taken over front the Public Works Department at the No. 1 substation at Shannon. From this station, which will als6 supply the,town of Shannon, one transmission line will go to Tokomar.u. and another passing through Shannon will go to Foxton, and from there, will go_ to the inter-connecting station at-’'Devin and on to Otaki. Another line will come from the Shannon station direct to T.evin. The result will ,be that if an Interruption occurs at.'say, Ihakara, the current which would under ordinary circumstance's be transmitted" direct to there from Shannon, can be switched through the F-oxton line, and *>v means of the inter-linking switch-.o-ear at Levin, fed back through Fairfield. while at the same time, all places up to the interruption at the other end will be fed direct from Shannon. In the same way an open circuit occurring at Moutoa, which would otherwise throw all the service out in Foxton, and also from there to Levin, will be practically nullified in effect, as the current for Foxton and up to' the .affected portion will be switched through Levin. AU current going to Otaki and south of that centre will also be controlled from the Weraroa building and part of the power used for Levin will he transformed at this point from 11,000 volts down to 400 and 230 volts for power and lighting services. It will thus be seen that the Horowhenua district will he well safe-guarded against failure of supply through any interruption of its own transmission lines. A start has been made with the carting out, of the main line poles and the service lines will shortly be commenced. It. is expected that unless some unforeseen obstacle presents itself, •power should be available to the farmers and other consumers in a large portion of the district hv .Tune, 1924.