PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL HYDRO ELECTRIC SCHEME

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 191, 23 September 1955, Page 1

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL HYDRO ELECTRIC SCHEME

| "As reported elsewhere in this lssue t the Taupo Times, the Borough jouncil decided at a special meeting si Monday evening last, after receivDg a report from Mr. Lloyd Manieno, the Council's consulting enginier, on the municipal power scheme, i) consider at a meeting to be held 81 October 5 a motion f or borrowing (105,000 for construction of an addiSonal power station. 'Prior to the Councirs unanimous cision to that effect, the alternative ossibility of installing an additional enerator at the present power stabn was discussed. At an earlier aeeting Mr. Mandeno had stated at, while he considered that an adtion to the present station would jftie later, he considered that the fesent position would be better met installing a larger generator at a «w site now.

Dealing with this pomt, m answer i councillors' queries, Mr. Mandeno linted out that while such an bxiliary generator, at the present pper . Hinemaiaia power station, pould be able to run at full capacity ff the greater part of the year, in dition to the present machine, that fight not be possible in May or June. River flow at that period might be lit s lowest, following summer dry sather, and May was a time when; sdng to holidays, Taupo's demand as likely to be high. Such an auxiiry installation would cost approxittely £50,000, including necessary ansmission line changes, and in jew of rising demand would before Iry long require augmenting from ie national grid system. Ihus it was not, at present, a satisetory solution to the Council's wer problem. On the other hand, iistruction of the proposed power ition on the lower site, which had ready been approved by the Govament engineers, would give an all-e-year-round power increase.

It appeared that the Government k to Wairakei would be completed [about two years, the approximate ne when the Council's new station luld be ready, subject to there be- | no hold-ups in authorisation or Istruction, and it was certain that Rhe Council's surplus power from |k stations could then be sold to Istate system. Ifhe Council would thus be able to fcvide for all power demands from | supply areas, and would benefit |m the profit on the sale of all surfcg power. This would be to the iefit of the consumers. fewas clear that, as with the prek scheme, the proposed new deBpment would pay for itself and ibe a charge on the ratepayers. Bealing with questions as to likeli|d of the Government approving inew scheme, Mr. Mandeno said |t all his contacts with Wellington I recently with the Minister, indited the likelihood that the Governpt would welcome any such ecoKjic addition to the country's per supply. He therefore did not Kcipate difficulty on that score. |A further point made by Mr. iideno was that though the bulk of Ireticulation in the Borough was ■pleted, likely increases in industI demand, and the present countryp, and in fact world wide, active jlase in the use of new electrical Ijces, all indicated that increased Blind would continue. Biia conclusion emphasised the ■Isity of increasing the supply as H.&3 possible to avoid being short Kovrer.