WAIMAKARIRI POWER SCHEME.

Shannon News, 14 August 1923, Page 4

WAIMAKARIRI POWER SCHEME.

The Christchurch City Council, at a special meeting held in committee, received from Messrs. Charles B. Hawley and Co., of Washington, D.C. their full report on the proposed hydro-electric development of the Waimakiriri River at Otarama Gorge. The report was a most bulky document, and dealt exhaustively with all phases of the question. The engineers recommended a proposition which would cost £838,600, and which would provide an initial generating capacity of 15,000 k.w., with an increase of 22,500 k.w., by the installation of additional equipment, and with an ultimate capacity of 45,500 k.w., when provision was made for the regulation of the stream flow. The average annual charges were set down at £94,500, which included a provision of £22,500 for depreciation maintenance, and repairs, and it was claimed that the demand for the current would provide a revenue ample to meet outgoings, the cost to the consumer being considerably less than the Government charges. Attached to the report was a long commentary by Mr E. Hitchcock,, General Manager, Muncipal Electricity Department, Christchurch, in which he strongly endorsed the scheme proposed by the engineers, and recommended that they should be invited to submit proposals for the preparation of designs and specifications of the complete plant, for the construction of the dam, and of the under-water portion of the powerhouse, and for the terms upon which they would act as consuling engineers to call for tenders in New Zealand for the remainder of the plant, and supervise its erection.