ELECTRICAL SUPPLY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 March 1921, Page 8

ELECTRICAL SUPPLY.

NEW PLYMOUTH’S POWER. THE RIVER VERY DOW. , Reports the electrical engineer ( Mr. R. H. Bartley), to the New Plymouth Borough Council:—The almost complete absence of rain since early in December last, lias reduced the river flow to an extent that has never before been experienced in the history of this department, and from rain guage figures published, it appears that over a .38 year record no such dry period has been recorded in Taranaki. Oiir plant is exceptionally loaded, more so than ever before, and is showing a load factor of approximately 66.3 per cent. Our present limited storage is not capable of maintaining this load factor under the abnormal river conditions, consequently 1 have been forced to place temporary restrictions on our bulk supply consumers. This is a big hardship for these consumers, and also for our supply, and I must express my appreciation of these consumers’ endeavors’to assist us in this direction. Our plant is being very heavily taxed, and under this condition the maintenance is satisfactory. The erection of the poles in connection with the Inglewood transmission line has been completed, and the cable is now being run out. This is as Jar as we can go with this work until the 33,000-volt insulators arrive. The conversion of the present- transmission line between Power House and town for three-phase operation has been completed as far as Hobson Street, and the balance of this work must stand over until the cable is run on the Inglewood line. Work in connection with the three phase change ovy switch gear at power and distribution stations is in progress.