UTILISATION OF WATER POWER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81871, 22 October 1906, Page 2

UTILISATION OF WATER POWER.

VARIOUS NATIONAL SCHEMES. ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION OF' NITRATES. THE COST OF THE POWER Dealing with the above in the Publie Works StaLemeni> the lion. W. Hall-Jones says that though the yoat has been a very unfavorable one fot field work, sutveys have been completed (except in one case) for schemes to utilise the power available at Huka Falls, Rotoiti, Lake Mangahao, Tauherertikau and Hutt rivers, Clarence river at Hanmcr Plain, Lake

Coleridge, and Opohi Gorge. The alternative surveys at Huka Falls and at Rotoiti, Katuna (though the latter survey is not quiie completed in some details), show that it would be more profitable to generate power on the Katuna than at Huka. The conditions in favor of Katuna are the shorter distance to transmit the power; the much greaer fa'il available, and the smaller quantity of water to be handled to get a given power; while the adverse condition is the. longer conduit, but power should bo delivered in Auckland and en route at about is to 20 per cent less than from Huka and the cost of power from Katuna would also be less than from any other scheme to utilise the rapids on the Waikato at Aniwlianiwa, Atemuri Ilorahora, or e'isewhere, where the low fall available would be a handicap. It appears best at Katuna to adopt a conduct about 5 miles long, where 530 feet of fall are available, giving about 30,000 brake horsepower on the turbine shafts for continuous working. Another scheme could subsequently be dcve'iopcd to use the remainder of the fall, perhaps as much as 300 feet. The country falls somewhat too fast to enable ali the available fall of goo feet *o be utilised in one scheme without very !iong pipe lines. A preliminary survey just finished near Shannon shows that by diverting the Mangahao through the range between its upper valley and the plains, falls from 600 feet up to 1000 feet may be got, giving probably 8000 to 10 000 brake horse power. For alternative schemes also, about 3000 to 4000 horse power could be got from the Tokomaru stream. This power scheme is favorably situated near several centres of population. At the combined power house 11,000 to 12.000 horse power cou'id be obtained. The survey of the Tauherinikau river shows that with a conduit about five miles long, about 340 feet of fall is obtainable at Featherston. The survey for the Hutt power scheme shows that wiih a high dam, water for two to three months use can be siored, and sufficient to enable 20 000 horse power for part time (working eleven or twelve hours per clay) to be got. Though high, the dam would be of no great length. The nearness of the power station to the Hutt, Pctone and Wellington renders this scheme a most valuable one. It wi'll be more favorable to develop power here for Wellington than from the Tauherinikau or other more re-

mote scheme. The country is favorable for the construction of a transmission line., and there would be but little risk of interruption from the or-

dinary causes of breakdown. Surveys of the Clarence scheme at Hanmi'r show that 1080 feet of fall fan be got at Polities Pass, which appears to ba the most favorable point at which to divert the water from. Storage water is obtained in Lake Tennyson, but the area of the lake is smarl, just under one square mile at ordinary level. The length of the conduit would only be about thiec miles and a quarter, and about 2000 horse power on the Pelton wheel shafts would be obtainable. This is

an excellent source of power and one, which could be readi'ly increased by the construction of dams. These, however, would be relatively costly, as there are no very narrow fjorffcs where dams could be cheaply built.

The survey of Lake Coleridge has been finished, but the data have not ;et been reduced to such a form as to enable a final decision to be come to as to whether it would be preferable to have one central power station at Ci'leridge for Canterbury, or two at Hanmer, and another at Ophir. A

close comparison of the first cost, the relative cost of power delivered, and the extent of the country that can bo economically served, have to be carefully considered before arriving- at a decisiun. A survey of several possible ways of utilising the water in Opihi and Opuhas shows that a much larger scheme than was al first thought possible is obtainable at a power station I'ower at the end of the Ophir gorge. A reservoir lo siore a large quantity of water can be formed at the upper end of the gorge, and by the diversion of the Opuhas into this reservoir a large amount of power is obtainable up to 16,000 horse powi; continuous. This power station would command iho southern districts of Canterbury, and worked in conjunction with the Clarence scheme at llanmerj the whole of Canterbury could be'very effectively supplied with power. Plans for works to develop these various schemes are being prepared, and very shortly it will 'be possib'ie 1.5 invite offer's for supply of plant. Information as lo probable cost of plant has already been obtained through the lligh Commissioner, but in addition detailed information for each particular scheme will now be ascertained.

The question of the advantageous use of the power available has a'iso 1 received some attention, as besides the J supply of power to existing in'dus- . tries, other uses must be found for it \ if we are to take full advantage of Hi" resources available. The quesj tion of tlio aitjfinal production of nitrates is receiving much attention from scientific men and others. It is estimated thai in the next quarter of a century or so, the world's consumption of nitrates will' be many times the present rate, viz., about a million and a half lons a year, and processes aie being perfected for their production in hydro-i'tectric works. A considerable measuie of success appears to have been attained, and in Sweden it is claimed that with the cost of energy at from £1 to £2 per horse power per 'year, nitrates can be artificially manufactured at a profit. There are places in New Zealand can be got within the above limit of cost at the power house, and in addition some of our schemes would have the power house on the sea shore., within easy reach of limestone deposits, available for sea transport. If the present anticipations as to development of nitrate industries are realised, there is no reason why New Zealand should not be able lo manufacture and export many million pounds' worth of the product. Some districts now desolate may yet become directly or indinetly suppoiters of considerable population. It may be interesting to state thai S.wytU'n lias v,; m aeimfin conserving to the State the ownership of all water power, and jt appeals to be the intention to oljarge substantial royalty in any case where private persons or companies arc allowed lo use the same, the amount proposed to be charged per horse power per year being about the same as has ai'ieady suKges.W! similar proposals in A ; ew Zealand except as they may. be modified bv the amount of wa.er found to be available or to supply more power for shorter period".

Tho estimate previously iveil for various schemes pioposed to | JU un _ deitaken do not appear after, more complete survey 10 r<!i|uirc mucli 1110dificalion. the cost of a power scheme where storage of water is possible, will vaiv H'reatly with the nature of the machinery, etc., up to twice or mote t h at „f p.] ;lnt f,.,. mn _ timious working. '['hat is to say. Ill" cosi of enei'H'y In consumers usmf;' I}' l r interuiiHent'y ia small <]iiantiiies must be higher than those usin;,' InrK'e vn times ' i waier eontinuouslv.

I lie costs al the vaiious centres in New Zealand to which it is proposed <o deliver power may be taken at I torn fit to /S per horse power per ii'ea.r. for al! time 'working of 16S hours per week. Thete would be propoti'nate Increase in rates for power ink'i'initieinly used. These rates increase up to two and a half or even thiee times in some power services, Tt is no| possible yet to sav whether the rates in this "colony wouM iequirc to be framed on quite the s'ame basis, but the Hon. Minister hopes to place some further information before the Ifouse piior t« close of session, \ Ml