OTAGO’S POWER SUPPLY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 904, 22 February 1930, Page 6

OTAGO’S POWER SUPPLY

WAITAKI CROSSING PROBLEM Press Association OAMARU, Friday. The problem of obtaining from Lake Coleridge an uninterrupted supply of electric power across the Waitaki River is stated to be under consideration by the department in Wellington. The recent shortage of power in North Otago owing to the transmission tower being swept away has aroused the authorities to the necessity of taking steps toward permanent repairs, as with the completion of the Waitaki hydro-electric scheme and the linking up of other supply stations, a breakage in the transmission across the river would have serious consequences.

It is stated that there is perhaps no river in New Zealand that changes Its course so much as the Waitaki when in high flood. During the last flood the main stream happened to strike the centre of the tower, but it could just as easily have swept away the south tower, which is located on an island of sand and silt six or seven yards from the water’s edge. At present the main stream is not running toward the south tower, but it might easily do so in the next flood, and then the south tow;er would certainly be swept away. It is said, that the only real security for a supply of current without long interruptions would be to sink cylinders to carry the wires, and to provide groins to divert the water from the transmission towers.