State Should Pay for Stand-by Plants

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 770, 17 September 1929, Page 7

State Should Pay for Stand-by Plants

POWER FOR AUCKLAND ARAPUNI UNCERTAINTY That the Government should be responsible for any extra expense incurred by the Auckland Power Board in retaining a staff in case of delay in the delivery of Arapuni power was the opinion expressed by the chairman. Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, at yesterday’s meeting of the board. Mr. Holdsworth reported to the board the result of his recent visit to Well- j ington, when he interviewed the Hon. j E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public j Works, Messrs. F. W. Furkert, Public 1 Works engineer, and M.r. T. M. Kissell, j chief electrical engineer, in connec- j tion with Arapuni power and the re- | cent erosion trouble. "I pointed out that we had a halfhour load of 29,000 kilowatts,” said Mr. Holdsworth. "Our capacity at the station is 26,000 k.w. Therefore, we will be able to receive extra power in the near future.” The Public Works Department was urged to carry out the Arapuni scheme with the greatest despatch, as it was essential that the Auckland board should receive from 4,000 to 5.000 k.w. for expansion purposes by April of next year. "The Minister said he realised the seriousness of the position,” said Mr., Holdsworth. “Mr. Furkert stated there was little doubt that Arapuni would be able to supply the power, and that, with the aid of three shifts, the necessary work could be done- to hurry on Nos. 7 and 8 penstock pipes to have them available by the end of the year. They would * carry much more water, and relieve the spillway.” Mr. Furkert had said, further, that the work would take six months to complete. However, when the power was through, no warning could be given the board if the lake had suddenly to ho emptied. They could not even warn Wellington in that case. In ease of the emptying of the lake, it would take three days before the water ceased going over the spillway, which would ! actually give the board three days’ i warning. The lake itself would take a month to empty. The engineer had been quite emphatic in his opinion that it would be possible to carry out the essential work without a complete shut-down. A second turbine would be running within a fortnight and a third by Christmas. "I am quite prepared to be guided by the Public Works Department,” said Mr. Holdsworth, who suggested that as soon as the second turbine at Arapuni was in operation and tliorouglilv tested the board should close down its whole plant at Auckland, with the exception of ono 5,000 k.w. set. That was the only way the board could effect economies to bring it out on the right side financially. "But we cannot go on keeping our full staff engaged. Our general manager lias it in mind that when the second turbine is in operation we should close down all our plant here, with the exception of a. 5,000 k.w. set. for economy purposes. We should notify the Government we are going to dispense with some of our staff. If the Government does not think it wise, then we should ask them whai they are going to do in connection with the extra expense*” Mr. E. IT. Potter suggested it would be more businesslike to obtain the advice of the department first. Once the second turbine was in operation the Government would insist on tiie board taking the power, said Mr Holdsworth. The board could not run its own plant as well. The situation arose out of no fault of the board, which had received its power from Arapuni over. 3 2 months late, and had sunk £250,000 in connection with the change-over. If the Government expected the board to continue running the plant it should to meet the board. It would cost the board between £50,000 and £60,000 to run the plant Lor seven months, said the general manager. Mr. R. IT. Bartley. As long as it had a 5,000 k.w. plant running the hoard could carry on for two or three days in event of emergency. If the interruption were longer, a scratch staff would be needed. The suggestion made by the chairman in regard to the closing down of i the local plant was embodied in a ! motion and carried.