HYDRO-POWER CUTS RATES

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 6, 20 February 1952, Page 4

HYDRO-POWER CUTS RATES

IN CUSHING CITY U.S.A. An American visitor to Taupo ,Mr Don Brandle, finds interest in the new hydro-scheme here and points to the benefits which followed the installing of its own power plant in his home town of Cushing, Oklahoma, U.S.A., fifteen years ago. Power rates, he says, are less now than when it was purchased from a privatdv firm before the town built its plant. "The thing that has astounded our city is the profit which our plant makes annually," he added. "The private company which had been furnishing The power to Cushing said that it wasn't very profitable. Instead, we find oursevles making a profit annually of about 200,000 dollars. "Because of this income, there are no city rates, and we find that the city is able to construct and maintain more* public facilities than in other cities of the same* size. The only exception is a garbage rate and

water rate. Everything else in the category of rates has vanished. Power plant profits pay salaries for a 12-man police force, a 32-man fire department, the street and other departments, a total city-paid staff of 85 people." The city, he adds, has built an ultra-modern circular swimming pool ahove ground, a foot- . ball field with concrehe bleachers, two basehall diamonds, community : sale buildings, a race track, a fire station, an 80,000-.volume library, t'hree parks, and an 85-bed hospital. i ln addition, 90 per cent of all streets | within the city are paved. - When the power plant was first | built, four generators were installed. Two years ago, the plant was expanded with two more large generators, and now further explansion is planned to meet- increasing power aemands. Unlike Taupo, hydro power is not available, so the engines are fitted to use either natural gas cr oil. Since there is an oil refinery across the street fr'om the power plant, and gas wells within a halfniile, both these fuels are cheap.