NEW POWER MAINS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1939, Page 5

NEW POWER MAINS

PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPLY IN MASTERTON Scheme Approved by Board MADE NECESSARY BY PHENOMENAL GROWTH EXISTING LINES MUCH OVERTAXED Masterton’s progress during the past few years has been such that the power supply is no longer adequate to Ute growing requirements. It is expected to have this position remedied by April of 1940. At yesterday’s meeting of the Wairarapa Electric Power Board a proposal for additional main feeders to the northern area of the board’s district was submitted by the Engineer, Air 11. B. Keenan, and adopted. The cost of the scheme will be in the vicinity of £6,000.

THE PROPOSED ROUTES. A skeleton plan showing the proposed routes for the new main feeders was displayed by the Engineer. The routes were divided into sections with the cost of each particular section also shown. Mr Keenan recommended the board to undertake the whole scheme and not "do the work by sections. Two 11,000 volt feeder routes are proposed. The.first line is to commence inside the Waingawa sub-sta-tion, coming out in underground cables to an outdoor terminal structure. From there along Norfolk Road to the main Carterton and Masterton roads with provision for a three circuit feeder at the Freezing Works. The line will then proceed along the main Masterton and Carterton roads to the Showgrounds road, through Solway to the corner of Upper Plain Road and Renall Street. A single circuit will then be taken from the corner of Renall Street and Upper Plain Road down Renall Street to the Masterton depot sub-station. The second feeder will follow the same course as the first until the corner of Upper Plain Road and Renall Street is reached. Here a single circuit line will.be taken along Railway Road, down Akura and Lincoln roads to the corner of Bentley Street. An additional single circuit line will then be run along Bentley Street across the Waipoua River into Oxford Street, then along Te Ore Ore Road to the corner of Columba Road. This line will give a supply to all districts it is passing through and act as a duplicate feeder to supply Opaki, Rangitimau, Bideford, Whangaehu, To Ore Ore, Weraiti and Taueru, Lansdowne and the Masterton Hospital. LONG-STANDING NEED.

"For many years now, it has been known by the board that the main feeders supplying the Northern Area and Masterton Borough in particular, would require duplicating to give extra line capacity and additional security to continuity of supply to the rapid development which is taking place in that area, stated Mr Keenan in his report.

“Although we have taken all precautions necessary to safeguard and prolong the capacity of the existing system, the time has now arrived when the main feeder supplying Masterton, the 1000 k.v.a. 11,000-3,000 volt transformer bank and the 3,000 volt reticulation inside the Masterton Borough, are loaded to such an extent that immediate steps must be taken to give additional capacity before next winter. MAIN OBJECTS STATED. “In placing this scheme before you, the following main objects have been firmly kept in mind: — 1. To give additional line capacity to the supply to Masterton. 2. To relieve the present lines of some of the load. 3. To eliminate some of the loading on existing 3,300 volt reticulation in Masterton Borough. 4. To ease the load on the 1,000 k.v.a. 11,000-3,000 volt bank of transformers at the Masterton sub-station. 5. To allow for duplicate feeding into Masterton in case of line interruption on the main No. 1 north feeder. 6. To allow for duplicate feeding to Ihe outlying districts around Masterton (including the Hospital) iii case of line interruption on the main No. 2 north feeder.

7. To give reasonable accessibility to the main feeders to. carry out repairs and maintenance work without shutting down all Masterton area. 8. To gradually eliminate the 3,300 volt mains on the outskirts of Masterton and convert to 11.000 colts, leaving the centre of the town on 3,300 volt reticulation meantime.

9. To place the new 11,000 volts ring mains in such a position as to be accessible for the development of industrial area.

10. To give control of these lines from a main centre, i.e.. at the substation, Waingawa.

11. To improve voltage regulation on the whole system. 12. To cut down the transmission and distribution losses to a minimum and improve the flexibility of the supply generally. WHOLE SCHEME NECESSARY. "I am unfortunately compelled to recomfnend the erection of the whole scheme rather than taking it in sections. This is due to the following facts: 1. The difficulty of erecting new lines on two and three circuit pole due to the close proximity of live 11,000 volt lines. 2. When the first portion of the feeders is erected, the areas supplied are of such importance that the number of shutdowns necessary to make any reconstructions would be impossible to the consumers. 3. The ring mains are necessary, particularly down Renall Street, Akura and Lincoln Roads, to relieve the 3000 volt reticulation; otherwise, provision will have to be made for extra capacity in the 3000 volt distribution. 4. It is becoming more essential every year that we eliminate the necessity to shut down all Masterton when requiring to make any adjustments to our apparatus on the main lines, in which case it becomes necessary to provide for duplicate feeders. “After giving this matter careful consideration over a very long period, I am forced to the conclusion that if the total scheme is gone on with, then we will receive the maximum relief and benefits for the money expended, and reduce our total transmission and distribution losses to a minimum. This in turn, will give greater flexibility to the system as a whole, producing a better service to the consumer, and returning increased revenue due to better voltage regulation." AMENDMENT REJECTED. Mr J. W. Colquhoun: “I am in favour of undertaking the wh’ole scheme and not just sections.” The chairman, Mr A. Campbell Pearce: “If the scheme can be financed it should be gone on with.” Mr F. C. Daniell: "I understand that this job can be done out of loan money.” Mr Pearce: “Yes, this scheme has to come.” Mr S. Dalgleish: “Well, if it is necessary I will abide with it.” Mr C. R. Holmes moved, and Mr Colquhoun seconded, ' that the whole scheme as outlined and recommended by the Engineer be gone on with.” Mr Dalgleish: “What, without further discussion! This is the first we have heard of such a scheme and we’re going to spend close on £6,000 after only five minutes discussion. I move that a committee consisting of the chairman, Mr Daniell and Mr Tate go into this matter.”

Mr Colquhoun: “It’s no use referring it to a committee. We already have the expert advice of our Engineer.” Mr Dalgleish: “We’re spending £6,000 on the recommendation of on? man.”

Mr Pearce: “This matter has been before the board before and has been in the Engineer’s mind for years past.” Mr Daniell: “I am not prepared to act on any committee. I am only a layman and am not going to pit my opinion against that of our Engineer. If the Engineer and Secretary-Manager are satisfied with the scheme, then so am I.” Mr W. Howard Booth: "Mr Keenan has mentioned this every year. He and Mr Brown have given this matter great consideration.”

Mr Pearce: “The growth of Masterton of late has been phenomenal, and our lines cannot do the work.”

Mr Dalgleish: “I can’t digest this report in one reading.” Mr Dalgleish’s amendment regarding the setting up of a committee lapsed for want of a seconder, and the motion that the work be proceeded with was carried, Mr Dalgleish voting against.