HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 May 1921, Page 5

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

NEW PLYMOUTH PROPOSAL#.

SCHEME FOR FURTHER EXTENffIWj.

COUNCIL DEFER ACTION.

A proposal to construct a fourth pipeline at the New Plymouth borough hydroelectric works to provide for further increases to the water supply in the future has been the subject of correspondence between the Borough Council and j the consulting engineers, and is also referred to in a report brought down by the general manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer). • The consulting engineers (Messrs. Blair Mason, Lee, qnd Owen) reported inter alia:—We have investigated the matter sufficiently to form an opinion that the suggestion is of value and worthy of the councU’s consideration. During conversation with Mr. Birks (Government electrical engineer), We gathered that with the completion of the dam and the storage that would be available the New Plymouth station could be linked up with the main Government circuit, and be drawn upon as a feeder. There was also the possibility that if it were needed additional storage could probably be provided in, the neighborhood. With the installation of a fourth pipe line there is involved the question of augmenting the water supply. With a water supply available for feeding and maintaining ncreased storage, and thereby raising the power limits of the station, the council would have justification for enlarging the tunnel and me easing sizes of the forebay and valves, etc., to allow of a fourth pipe line. The approximate cost for ucreasing the size of the tunnel and foeebay and other works in connection therewith amounts to £B5OO. This does not allow fur the pipe line.

“IMMENSE POSSIBILITIES.” A repoit received from the generamarager ;fated that there were immense possibilities in the proposal affecting the future prosperity of the undertaking, and the council decided to defer consideration till next Monday. In going into detail the general manager explained—“ The proposal was not to actually construct the fourth pipe line, but to make provision which would enable the fourth pipe line to be constructed when required at some future date. To make this provision the consulting engineers report that it will be necessary to increase the size of No. 2 tunnel now under construction, and to make certain alterations to the new forebay. The work is estimated to cost an additional £B5OO. The complete scheme, as at present designed, provides for three pipe lines capable of conveying sufficient water to give 9000 horsepower at the turbines. A fourth pipe line would give another 3000 horse-pow-er, prdvided sufficient water were available.

“If provision for the fourth pipe-line he not made now it can never be made, as once No. 2 tunnel is completed it will not be possible to enlarge it, and other means will have to be taken to meet the demand. It is quite within the bounds of possibility that when the complete scheme (Scheme No. 1) is completed the demand will exceed our maximum output, and if provision be not made for the fourth pipe-line any extensions -to meet the demand will cost many thousands of pounds more than if such*provisions be made now, and, indeed, it may be found that the cost will be altogether prohibitive.

VALUE OF CHEAP POWER.

“A suggestion was made at the May*, oral installation that owing to the de* velopment, of hydro-electric power New. Plymouth may eventually be a rate free town. However desirable this may be, I cannot see that such a possibility will ever eventuate. Electricity, to be a prime factor in the development of a district, must be available for use at a cheap rate, and the maximum fixed by our licence is a comparatively low one. It was based upon estimates of cost of construction of the- headworks, made in January, 1920. These estimates have since been increased by a very considerable amount. There is, therefore, no possibility of the town reaping abnormal profits from the hydro-electric extensions, although, with efficient management, there is no reason why a satisfactory profit should not be earned. “What I do see, however, is that by the provision of cheap power the development of New Plymouth and the rest of Taranaki will be expedited to a degree little realised at present. The future prosperity of the town is linked up with the prosperity of the rest of Taranaki, and anything we do to increase the prosperity of the whole district will be returned fourfold in the development of New Plymouth. It is ( from this direction that New Plymouth will receive great reward for its enterprise, rather than in obtaining abnor* mal profits from its hydro-electric de* velopment. With this in mind I would strongly recommend that the proposal for a fourth pipe-line be further investigated and considered before a decision is given which may have an adverse effect even so far ahead as fifteen or twenty years. If the whole of the £B5OO cannot be found by the council I would recommend it to consider whether it is not possible to undertake that part of the proposal relating to the enlargement of the tunnel. Thia, I understand, will cost approximately £5OOO, and will make it possible to put in the pipe line at a future date, although at a much greater cost than the additional £3500 now estimated.”