REDUCING THE LOAD.

Shannon News, 24 February 1928, Page 3

REDUCING THE LOAD.

HOROWHENUA’S RESPONSE

THE CONSUMERS THANKED

In the course of his report to l Tuesday’s meeting of the Horowhenua Power Board, the Engineer (Mr. J. A. .Smith) referred as follows to the shortage in-supply of current: On account of the shortage of water at Mangahao, fiaxmills are still running at night in place of day shifts. From the 17th to the 31st January, street lights were cut off at 11.15 p.m.; from the 31st January to date they have been cut off altogether. As a result of these alterations, and the response made by consumers to advertisements and cards, asking them to restrict, their consumption during certain hours, the unit consumption befween the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., week days, has dropped considerably from an average of 16,096 to 8609, and between 7 a.in. and 11 p.m. from an average of 19,750 to 13,857. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. there is an average increase from 4475 to 7945 units.

Other aspects of the matter were dealt with in the Secretary’s report, to be published later. .Mr Vincent asked if the disparity between the day and evening consumption was due to the industrial load coming on after 6 p.m. The Cha’rman .replied in the affirmative and also said that there was a much lower rate for a night load. Mr Vincent: Why cut them off at 8 o ’clock ?

The Engineer explained that the auxiliary plants had to deal with a big lighting load at night. The Mangahao authorities in order to save water, had asked that industries using the power- should shut down between 8 and 10 p.m. ; Mr Seifert referred to this system of easing the load, in regard to which the flaxmill owners had met the Board at some inconvenience, the arrangement involving the spreading of the day’s work over twelve hours. Mr Vincent remarked that the millers should be thanked for their assistance.

A resolution was then passed as follows, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Vincent: “That the Engineer’s report be adopted, and that this Board express their sincere thanks to the consumers, particularly flaxmillers and their employees, for having met the Board so willingly in arranging a night load and other reductions in the consumption of power between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.”