NEW PLYMOUTH ELECTRICAL PLANT.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1917, Page 5

NEW PLYMOUTH ELECTRICAL PLANT.

GREAT INCREASE IN CONSUMPTION PLANT REACHING ITS MAXIMUM. The electrical department is making rapid headway under the progressive and enlightened policy of the new regime. Thirty-five new consumers were connected last month, and twenty-nine other applications have been received. In addition one firm had contracted for a Supply for a plant consuming 100-h.p. The position now is, according to the engineer's report, to be submitted to the council next month, that the new unit has a load equal to 75 per cent, of its outpuj. as soon as the Department's new plant comes to hand. The engineer adds significantly: "It must be fully realised that the limit of the hydraulic power at the Mangorei power station is reached, and no further scheme of this capacity can be undertaken ty the council with the existing plant." Mr. Bartley goes on to say: The present position, when carefully considered, presents a very favorable aspect for the futuro of the department, inasmuch that the most will now be got from the capital invested, and there will be little time during the 24-hour day in which any portion of the plant will not be earning ft return. The position certainly ' !1« for very careful and keen supeni =n, and care of plant, on account of the very small margin that we will be working under, butat the present time the whole of the plant at the power house has been brought into first-class condition, and it is essential that it remain in this state. It has been necfasary on two occasions during the month for me to stop tho tram service for short intervals, and also to nut off street lights, due to shortage of water, and this may continue during the next month or bo while we ar« dealing with our heaviest loads. At the present time I have a temporary sack dam erected behind the break in the old dam, and am able to get approximately Sft Cine extra head by this means; otherwise we could never carry on. The difficulty is to regulate the flow of water, keeping sufficient head in the dam for our requirements, and yet not to run the risk of carrying away the dam at perhaps another place. The position is a very trying one for nil concerned, but everthing will be done to cause as little inconvonionco as possible, to consumers. The sand deposits are still causing trouble, but I-ato inclined to think that. .the most of it must be removed now,' as we succeeded in getting rid of approximately 40,tftns from the forcbay on Thursday morning last. Tho most of thjs hasWne from thejtunnel, and which w« removed into the .last-lined portipn, calculating that it will be brought, through into the forebay, : whifch is our 'only method of getting rid of it.