POWER PROJECT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1921, Page 5

POWER PROJECT.

UTILISING MOKAU COAL. BIG SUPPLY AIMED AT. POWER FOR TARANAKI. AN AMBITIOUS UNDERTAKING. A distinctly new ’departure in the matter of an electric generator on a large scale was made yesterday in proposals to the Clifton County Council by an engineer, Mr. W. D. Wilkinson, who has secured certain rights to use a coal area on the bank of the Mokau River. The idea is to instal two turboalternators, each of 5000 h.p., and driven by fuel on the spot, capable of producing 13,000 kilowatts, with an extension up to 26,000 kilowatts. Reticulation will be over part of the Wai to mo County and over practically the whole of the Clifton County, linked up with hydro-electric stations, and uitirqately forming part of the Government scheme. Details are to be supplied, and the Clifton County will forward them to the Public Works Department, when, if approved, steps will be taken to form a power board and raise money. The promoters say power could be supplied within two years at a cost comparing more than favorably with the Lake Coleridge scheme. Mr. Wilkinson wrote placing before the council “a definite proposal for a power supply to reticulate the whole of Northern Taranaki, bearing in mind the fact that the available horse-power from all hydraulic sources relative to this district is of such small dimensions that the cost per kilowatt installed would be so high as to affect the advantages one would naturally expect to derive from a cheap power supply, the success of which depends so largely on: (1) Cost per kilowatt installed; (2) its adaptability to extension from time, to time as the demand for power increases.” SUITABILITY OF SITE. The letter stated that the proposed station would have an initial installation of two 5000-kilowatt turbo-alternators — approximately 13,000 horse-power—with provision for extension tP an ultimate capacity of 20,000 k.w.—i.e., 26,000 h.p. It would be possible with modern equipment to generate at a figure that would compare very favorably with generating costs from a hydro-electric station of similar output. The situation chosen for the power house gave it great natural advantages relative to deep water frontage and an unlimited coal supply, and had been chosen with a view to eliminating transport troubles. The area available was ample for all purposes in connection with the proposed work, the contour being such that the erection of the necessary buildings could be arranged for with a view to housing the plant and rendering a lay-out possible, which would tend towards very economical generation. All material incidental to the power-house would have water transport, whilst the line equipment would be delivered from the sea at three separate points, enabling work to be proceeded with such as would warrant quick despatch with a minimum of handling. POWER FOR IRONSAND. Apart from waiting until a Government hydro-electric supply was available, this was the only medium which presented sound engineering practice, and with which it was possible to meet the requirements of the district. In view of the flexibility of the scheme and the inability of the New Plymouth Borough to supply, the promoters pf the scheme were negotiating with Messrs. Summerson and Sons relative to supplying their requirements of 3000 kilowatts continuous, for use in connection with the proposed ironsand smelting industry. The writer had submitted a draft of the proposal to Mr. Lawrence Birks, chief electrical engineer to the New Zealand Government, and had not the .slightest doubt that its adoption would meet with his decided approval, as > geographically the power station site would form a valuable link in the Government’s proposed network, and would be of inestimable value as a reliable stand-by to the larger scheme. New Plymouth would require all their available power locally, and in ten years’ time would have little if any available for outside consumption, and so it was not unlikely that they would look in this direction for a supplementary supply. In any case the possibility of being able to link up the two stations would be eagerly availed of, rendering, as it did, complete immunity from total shut-down. The New Zealand Government’s antipathy to small power boards seemed to be that the linking up was in a great measure nullified by the adoption of small prime movers, the natural outcome of these boards, which were of value only in their own restricted area of supply, whereas the new scheme set to work keeping in view the possibility of assisting electrical development outside of the immediate district. This created a situation which ensured the intelligent cooperation of all concerned. A far-sighted policy as applied to any particular industry was commendable, but in reference to the one under discussion it was the only one. THE COAL SUPPLY.

The coal available was of average calorific value, the mining proposition of the simplest, but it was a class of coal which depreciated rapidly in handling. When they considered it was possible to procure an efficiency of 85 per cent, in a modern equipped boiler house, this, compared with the low rates of efficiency usually obtained in most industrial undertakings, added to the loss in transport and increased cost in handling, presented a very good case for the highly efficient power station on the site, in which case the whole output of the mine would be utilised. Another factor was the accuracy with which estimates on capital expenditure could be prepared in reference to this class of station, the allowances for contingencies being very small as compared with those necessary in headworks of a hydro-electric supply of similar output, whilst the certainty of completion within a stated period was an outstanding feature, and for a given output the development work proceeded much more rapidly. Of extreme importance was the ease of duplication, no structural alterations being necessary, allowing that provision for same had been made in the original design, the maximum output of the station being limited only by the coal in sight. This was important.

for the available h.p. in the aggregate from hydro-electric sources in Taranaki was ex tremely limited when worked out on a population basis, and with the increase in emput there would be a corresponding decrease in the cost per unit generated, as a natural sequence. The letter concluded with the suggestion that if the scheme appealed to the council it should submit it in its entirety to the Minister of Public Works, with the request that he should place it before his engineers for their report. Mr. Wilkinson waited on the council in committee, and after explaining various matters in connection with the scheme was asked to submit a detailed report, which the council would consider and submit to the Government for a report and advice as to whether it was advisable for the council to go on with the scheme.