MANGAHAO POWER

Shannon News, 8 February 1927, Page 2

MANGAHAO POWER

THE WATER SHORTAGE. DRY SPELL OF SOME- BENEFIT. The chief electrical engineer (Mr F. Ki?.-el) returned on Friday from a visit to the Mangahao power station. Mr Kissel stated that rain was wanted in the ranges, as the dams were again feeling the effects of the dry spell. A few davs ag'o-Mangahao ran for a day anil a half "in power supplied from the Wellington station at Evans Bay. A small quantity of rain fell at the beginning of last week, but not in sufficient quantify to fill the dam. Mangahao took on the load again, however, early in the week, and carried on until Friday last, when Wellington was again* requisitioned for further assistance on account of the dry weather. On Saturday Wellington plaint was still being utilised. The chief engineer mentioned that the dry spell had proved rather benefi--1 eial from another aspect, as it'was enabling the construction of the new dam to be proceeded with energetically, especially the clearing out of the river channel and work in preparation for the concreting. It was expected that the concrete will be placed in t!i3 bottom of the gorge in the old river channel by the end of last week.

For the week ended January 30 the maximum load on the Mangahao station was 17,020 k.v.a.—between 8 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. on Friday, January 29—. fs compared with 16.827 for the same period last year. The number of units generated during the weak was 1,547,830, as compared with 1,603,440 last year.' Another interesting statement was that since the commencement of generating power at Mangahao station the weather forecasts of the metorologieal office had come out accurately, excepting last week, when the rain prophesied did not fall.