More Waimarino power with sub extensions

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 231, 16 February 1988, Page 7

More Waimarino power with sub extensions

Major extensions are underway to the Ohakune Electricorp Sub Station, located at Makaranui. Officer in charge John Greenwood said the station had found it increasingly difficult to keep up a reasonable supply dnring the peak time between 6pm and 7pm. The sub station supplies power to most of the Waimarino, excluding National Park township and Waiouru and as far south as the Kakatahi store on the Parapara Highway. The upgrading of the sub station will increase its output from 7.5 megawatts

to 10 megawatts - more than enough for the area, according to Mr Greenwood. The upgrade includes the replacement of the station's existing transformer bank with a reconditioned model. Mr Greenwood said the present transformer is nearly 50 years old and still running. A construction crew from Electricorp in Bunnythorpe will carry out the necessary changes which includes the installation of an earth grid around the station. The copper grids are standard equipment at all sub stations and are a safety procedure for dissipating electrical currents into the

ground. Mr Greenwood said the work is well overdue at the station and now is the optimum time to carry out other replacement work. Workmen recently removed the line circuit breaker between Mataroa and Ohakune which resulted in some of the Waimarino being without power. Mr Greenwood said residents can expect two more shutdowns within the next few weeks while the new circuit breaker is being installed. A new structure fence will be the last item to be installed around the perimeter of the sub station. The high wire security fence will serve to keep intruders and possums out of the complex. Work at the station is expected to be completed within the next eight weeks.