POWER-STATION FAULTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 581, 6 February 1929, Page 11

POWER-STATION FAULTS

BREAKDOWN AT HORAHORA THAMES VALLEY COMPLAINT (Special to THE SUE) TE AROHA, Tuesday. Considerable trouble has been caused to the Thames Power Board during* recent months by breakdowns at Horahora power station, from which the board obtains its supply of electricity. X serious breakdown which occurred over a large sector of the board's area on Sunday, January 20, wa M strongly commented on at this Afternoon's meeting of the board. Complaining of the “complete disorganisation” that occurred at the Morrinsville Co-operative Dairy Company's factory on that date, Mr. J. c. Leeson, chairman of directors of the company, stated that “one of the most unsatisfactory features attached to the stoppage is that the factory, now working at high pressure, never gets the slightest information as regards their probable duration. The result of t-iese stoppages is so serious that the directors of the company are making inquiries in the direction of supplying their own power service.” In a letter to Mr. Leeson, Mr. T. McLennan, district electrical engineer, stated: “As regards reliability of supply generally, there should be a considerable improvement when the jtrapuni station commences to supply power. At present the number of interruptions is greater than it should be because of the number of lines supplied from Horahora without adequate switch gear to prevent trouble on one from affecting the others. The duration of interruptions is longer than it should be because in case of interruptions the number of plants from which we are getting supply are all affected and all have to be got back into service before normal supply can be restored. In both these respects the rituation will be relieved when the Jrapuni plant is in operation.’* It was finally resolved to inform the public Works Department that “In the Opinion of the board the time had arrived for the duplication of the line to the Waihou sub-station.” Such duplication, said the engineer, Mr. N. G. McLeod, should guarantee a conrpuious supply of current at all times Over the affected area.