POWER SHORTAGE

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21361, 4 March 1941, Page 7

POWER SHORTAGE

CANTERBURY OUTLOOK COLERIDGE STATION TROUBLE TURBINE CASING BREAKS (By Telegraph.—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Alonday The Lake Coleridge power station was put out of action this morning when serious trouble was caused through the bursting of a turbine casing. It was announced by the assistant district electrical engineer (Air L. S. Payne) that the Coleridge station would be out of action for some time and that the Waitaki station would carry as much of the Canterbury load as possible. He addressed an urgent appeal to consumers to conserve power. Mr Payne confirmed that there would be a certain amount of flooding when the casing burst as some time elapsed before the gates cutting the head of water were closed, but at present he did not know the full extent of the damage. Power went off in the city at 8.40 when everything came to a standstill. The change-over to the Waitaki supply was made as quicly as possible, and at 9.15 a.m. fights came on in the city and trams resumed running. SOUTH ISLAND MOVE REDUCING WAITAKI LOAD CBy Telegrapn.—rress Association) INVERCARGILL, Alonday To assist in meeting the shortage of power resulting from the Lake Coleridge station being out of action the Monowai hydro-electric power station and the Invercargill City steam plant were brought into full operation this morning. The Monowai plant had been operating at a low capacity to keep the station synchronised with the Waitaki station, but power generation was quickly brought up as required. The work of bringing the steam plant into operation was begun immediately work was received of the breakdown at Lake Coleridge, and within about an liour power was available from this source. The rush of water in the channel from Lake Monowai to the power station brought down a considerable quantity of marine weed, which is at its maximum growth at this time of the year. Men were stationed at the screen to deal with the weed and there was no interruption in generation as occurred with last week when contact with Waitaki was lost and Monowai was called on to bear the full load. Southland will be able to contribute to a material extent in the supply of power during the present emergency. The Monowai and city plants have a capacity of more than 7500 kilowatts, and it will be possible to divert to Canterbury power normally supplied to Southland from Waitaki.