D.—l

78

Power-supply for testing purposes was given to Wellington City Council on the 26th March, and continued to the end of the period. During this period there was one interruption of eight minutes, due to a mistake in switching. Up till the 31st March, 1925, the following are the operating figures : — Maximum load (in kilowatts)- - Power-house . . . . .. .. .. .. 7,160 Khandallah Substation .. .. .. .. .. 6,700 Horowhenua Power Board . . .. .. .. .. 410 Manawatu-Oroua Power Board .. .. .. .. 360 Hutt Valley Power Board .. .. .. .. .. 460 Wellington City Council .. .. .. .. .. 5,856 Units — Power-house .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,640,940 Horowhenua Power Board .. .. .. .. .. 411,645 Manawatu-Oroua Power Board .. .. .. .. 429,289 Hutt Valley Power Board .. .. .. .. .. 11l ,500 Wellington City Council .. .. .. .. .. 194,000 Local lines .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 173,379 Testing and losses .. .. .. .. .. .. 321,127 The revenue from sale of power during the same period was £3,237. This has been credited to capital, as for accounting purposes the system was not put on to an operating basis until the Ist April, 1925. Operations from 31.st March, 1925, to 30th June, 1925. During this period the power-house equipment and headworks have operated satisfactorily. On the 110,000-volt lines there has been no trouble, but the telephone system has been unsatisfactory, and the help of the Post and Telegraph Department is being sought. At Khandallah Substation the sealing-bells on the low-tension side of the main transformers gave trouble, three of them breaking down. These have all now been refilled. At Woodville switching-station and Manganiaire Substation the air-break switch insulators gave trouble, and it was necessary to dismantle them from all substations pending alterations. Of the 11,000-volt lines, the Mangaore-Shannon one has operated without trouble. On the Khandallah-Petone line a piece of wire on one of the lines caused an interruption, and during a heavy gale a pair of wires came into contact, causing another interruption. Supply to Horowhenua Power Board was maintained. There were three small interruptions totalling three minutes, due to faults on the Power Board's system, and one prearranged interruption of nine minutes. The Manawatu-Oroua Power Board's supply was subject to one interruption of twenty-six minutes, due to a faulty connection at Woodville switching-station, and there were three prearranged shut-downs, of a total duration of eight hours and three-quarters. During part of this time Palmerston Borough carried the Power Board's load. Hutt Valley Board's supply suffered six interruptions, totalling one hour and three-quarters. Two of these were due to faulty relays at the power-house, two due to sealing-bell failure at Khandallah, and the other two respectively were due to a piece of wire on a line and to a heavy gale swinging the lines together on the Hutt line. There were also three prearranged shut-downs, of eleven hours and three-quarters total duration. Supply to Wellington City Corporation was discontinued on the 31st March on account of having to examine a tunnel-gate. Regular supply under the contract was started on the 14th April. There were four interruptions during the period, totalling twenty-four minutes ; two were due to faulty relays at the power-house, and two due to sealing-bell failures at Khandallah Substation. The Wellington Corporation steam plant at Evans Bay has been paralleling each day for peak-reduction purposes, and has on four occasions supplied power back to Khandallah Substation. The Tararua Power Board was supplied with power on the 7th April, but, on account of trouble with the air-break switch insulators, it was night supply only, and subjected to many interruptions. Supply under contract was given on the Ist June. The Wairarapa Power Board was given supply for the first time on the 17th May, but, on account of adjustments necessary on the Power Board's switchboard, supply under the contract was not started until the 10th June. Dannevirke Power Board was given supply on the 19th May, the contract dating from the Ist June. The following table gives approximate operating figures from the Ist April to the 30th June, 1925 Maximum Demand in Units. Kilowatts. Power-house (generated) .. .. .. .. 9,080 9,463,375 Power-house (local consumption) .. .. .. .. 118 137,335 Wellington City Council .. .. .. 6,336 6, 263,360 Hutt Valley Power Board .. .. .. .. 700 866,370 Horowhenua Power Board .. .. .. .. 530 511,298 Manawatu-Oroua Power Board .. .. 492 440,684 Wairarapa Power Board. . .. .. .. .. 120 9,500 Tararua Power Board . . .. .. .. .. 140 9,600 Dannevirke Power Board .. .. .. .. 140 8,600 Losses and testing .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,216,628