Celebrating 100 Years of Power and Progress

CELEBRATING 100
YEARS
of Power and Progress

a look back at the history of reticulated power in Hastings

unison
The Powerlines People

UC Research to make the national grid smarter

A major University of Canterbury research project has begun looking at the national grid to make it smarter.

UC’s Dr Allan Miller, who is heading the research, said the researchers were looking at way to safely and economically embed new renewable generation into the electricity network, especially the distribution network to ensure a secure electricity supply.

New Zealand is targeting 90 percent of electricity generation to be from renewable sources by 2025, providing a safe electricity supply. Dr Miller said the target was challenging but realistic, given New Zealand’s untapped renewable energy potential, expertise in renewable development and the emissions trading scheme. The government recently announced a grant of $6.3 million for the important UC research project.

“New Zealand currently generates about 75 percent of its electricity from renewable generation, making it a world-wide leader in this area,” Dr Miller said.

“However finding the additional 15 percent will be a stretch, remembering that the load typically grows each year as well. It’s not just finding 15 percent, but continuing to develop renewable generation to keep up with load growth.

“We believe that this will be made up predominantly from geothermal, wind, and solar, with much of the solar being from domestically installed (rooftop) installations. Geothermal generates at a fairly constant output for long period. However wind and solar vary – as the wind blows and when the sun shines.

“This is where the part about – providing an electricity supply that is secure – gets interesting. One of the things we will investigate in this project is dealing with the variability of wind and solar renewable generation to ensure a secure supply.”

Dr Miller said they would also investigate consumer behaviour around some of the new technologies in the industry. This included domestic solar installations, home automation and the use of smart meters with smart appliances to deliver home automation.

Home automation could be used to make a household’s electricity demand respond to certain signals, such as a price signal from their electricity retailer. Added to this will be electric vehicles, which they expect an influx of over the next 10-15 years, and the home becomes not just a larger user of electricity, but a mechanism for storing electricity, and controlling demand.

On a large scale (many homes all contributing a similar resource) this could amount to a tremendous resource, with previously untapped potential to participate in the electricity market.

The UC project will investigate solar renewable generation and aspects of feeding it into the distribution network, where it may completely change the direction that power flows.

“We want to make the national grid smarter through better integration of the demand side with generation through the grid. Through pooling resource smart appliances, electric vehicles and domestic roof-top solar power to use to manage the variability of renewable generation.

“It will be cost effective by making it economical for consumers to use smart appliances and the like and more efficient by doing this through the electricity market, which already optimises where electricity is generated.

The UC project will survey consumers to understand their perceptions and anticipated use of new technology in the electricity network, including solar panels on their roofs, home automation, electric vehicles, and demand management.

The research will work in with such authorities such as Transpower, Orion, Unison, Northpower, Vector, Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power, Mercury, the Energy Electricity Authority, the Electrical Engineers Association, Ministry of Economic Development, Juicepoint, and Fisher & Paykel Appliances.

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100-years-ago When Electricity Was a Luxury

Imagine life without electricity its almost inconceivable to most of us who were born into an age where, for the most part, it’s an essential component of modern life. Today power cuts cause major disruption to our busy way of life as appliances can’t be used and things quickly come to a standstill without a means to use computers, cook or entertain ourselves.

Life must have been extremely hard for most people before the advent of accessible electricity. Perhaps many of us would not survive the hardships of cooking on a coal range or kerosene stove or washing by hand, ploughing with bullocks and milking cows by hand. And when darkness fell there were no light switches to flick nor was there television, DVDs or videos. Candles or kerosene lamps, and later gas lamps, were the norm.

It was only 100-years-ago that Hastings benefitted from the introduction of a reticulated power supply and since then our lives have changed immeasurably. This special centenary publication looks at the introduction of electricity to Hastings, traces developments, both technical and social, then gives us a glimpse of working life for those involved in bringing and maintaining the supply of electricity to the people of Hastings. Finally, we take a peek at what the future might hold.

Excerpts from The Hawke’s Bay Herald-Tribune Friday May 7, 1937.

CIVIC PROGRESSIVENESS
Borough Undertakings that are the Hall-Mark of Town’s Enterprise

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR A CITY
Street lighting

It was not till after 1910 that the borough embarked on a scheme of electrical development. Since 1925 the control of the electricity supply of the borough has passed from the Borough Council to the Hawke’s Bay Electric Power Board, but the credit for the extensive street reticulation must still rest with the Borough Council.

Here again the mind leaps to comparisons – the cumbersome, lantern topped gas lamps -that within recent memory lined Russell Street (it was Station St then) and the brilliant electric cluster lamps of-today. There were six gas lamps installed when Hastings first decided upon a street-lighting scheme; now the streets are lit by upward of 450 electric lamps.

A still further development is in the air. For testing purposes the Power Board has installed three sodium-gas lamps at the eastern end of Heretaunga Street. If the experiment proves successful it may not be very long before the whole of the street lighting is carried out under this system.

VISION OF THE FUTURE
How Civic Development Began in Hastings
WHEN ELECTRICITY WAS A LUXURY

“Looking at our town at night, at the flashing colours of the many electric signs, the brilliant lights illuminating our handsome buildings with the shop windows aglow and displaying the colours of the modern gods for men’s and women’s use and adornment I am reminded of the Hastings of 1901-1910,” writes Mr. J.A. Miller, Mayor from 1909-1901.

“Wooden buildings, small shops, gravelled roads, very poor lights and business that as confined to almost four blocks were the conditions in those days. It was then that a modified version of the present day came to a few, and the first big loan of £85,000 was carried. This was to provide sewer, water, concrete channelling, footpaths, roads, electric light and power. Today we can see that vision has not only been confirmed but fourfold enhanced by the progressiveness of our citizens.”

Photo caption – J.A. Miller

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Banish Drudgery for Mother by Making Your Home all Electric!

Think what a modern ALL – ELECTRIC home means to mother

Although there was scepticism surrounding the new invention, it became clear early on, with the invention of many labour saving devices that electricity was a major boon to women as it brought significant changes in and around the home especially the kitchen and laundry. Life wasn’t changed overnight as appliances were expensive and originally only within reach of those who could afford the new inventions.

Stoves

Traditional, methods of cooking included coal and wood ranges, and kerosene stoves. The first electric stove went on sale in the United States of America in 1891 but they weren’t available in New Zealand until after WW1.

Kerosene was a common method of cooking before the advent of electricity.

Peach Gully Station at Waimarama was one of the first local properties to take advantage of the modern electric stoves in 1920.

Neeco brand appliances were very popular in the 1950s.

Washing machines

Washing machines are not new. In fact there are many examples of machines operated by hand which would have been exhausting and back-breaking work. Coppers then became the vogue and involved boiling water, much scrubbing, washboards, wringing, rinsing, then hanging the clothes out to dry. It would have been a weekly chore, both heavy work and very tiring. Wash day in many homes was a ritual that took place on the same day every week.

The first ever electric washing machine went on sale in 1906 although it’s unclear who actually invented it or where. By the 1920s there were rudimentary electric washing machines in use locally, some of them with rudimentary spin dryers.

Early washing machines were operated by hand.

An early electric washing machine with a ringer from the Power Board.

An early 1920s washing machine with a spin dryer.

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Irons

Ironing would have been a time consuming task involving heating the iron on a stove or filling the iron with hot coals. The invention of the electric iron must have been like a dream come true.

A flat iron and its stand.

An early electric iron.

Refrigerators

The fridge was invented in 1911 bringing with it major changes for both domestic and commercial users. Before the invention people would have ice chests to store their perishables and the ice man would deliver the blocks of ice on a regular basis.

Meat would have been stored in a meat safe which usually had a supply of fresh air. Introduced in the 1930s, fridges became more common between the two wars. Being able to chill food brought about a revolution in eating habits as produce could be kept for longer. James Wattie utilised the new technology by diversifying into frozen foods.

Other labour saving devices

The inventions just kept on coming, including the arrival of the vacuum cleaner with its superior cleaning powers. Old advertisements made much of the fact that drudgery could be banished with the advent of the machine and also tried to make women feel guilty about how dirty their homes would be if they didn’t buy a vacuum cleaner.

Examples of two early fridges on display at the Faraday Centre.

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A Real Boon to Mother
A supply of hot water at the touch of a button was still relatively new in the 1940s as shown in this advertisement from May 1940. Dishwashers and microwaves (1954) were later inventions that again reduced the manual labour required to run a household.

Electric toasters were first invented in Britain in 1893 and their design hasn’t changed all that much. Here’s an interesting example from the Art Deco era.

An Art Deco style electric heater. Electric heaters were first invented in 1912.

Some early electric mixers look like instruments of torture rather than stylish, labour saving kitchen appliances.

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Hawke’s Bay Power Board ran a number of cooking demonstrations over the years including this preserving demo in 1942.

Leisure and home entertainment

Before the advent of electricity one could imagine there would be little time, or energy, for having fun and being entertained. However, there were some common pastimes including parlour games, and the pianola which could be played or made to play a tune using specially encoded roll.

The pianola was a common sight in many homes.

Edison invented the phonograph in 1877 and later Berliner patented the flat disc gramophone in 1887. Soon after New Zealanders could buy music from around the world following the invention of the record and gramophone. Early models were wound by hand. We’ve come a long way from wind up gramophones to digital music in only 100 years.

An early wind up gramophone machine.

The inventions just kept on coming including electric tape recorders.

Before movies people entertained themselves at home, although there were occasional variety shows at the theatre.

Thomas Edison first invented the Kinetoscope in 1889, a hand cranked film illuminated by an electric light bulb.

The Lumiere brothers invented the cinematograph movie projector in 1895. People in Auckland got to view the first Edison Kinematograph in 1896. It was 1929 when the first “talkies” arrived in New Zealand. Television, invented in 1926 by John Logie Baird, was arguably the most influential invention of the last 100-years bringing opportunities the people of Hastings would find hard to imagine back in 1912.

Beauty and health

As electric technology advanced, so did inventions to improve our health, safety and beauty. For example the hairdryer, invented in 1890 is an indispensable appliance and so is the electric razor invented by Jacob Schick in 1928.

Before the advent of electricity a trip to the dentist would involve treatment with a foot operated drill! And we think a trip to the dentist these days is torture! Now electric toothbrushes are commonplace and were first sold in 1961.

An early electric hairdryer.

Photographs: Thanks to The Faraday Centre, Museum of Technology and Science Centre, Faraday Street, Napier for permission to photograph their exhibits.

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Rural Lifestyles

Early settlers had a hard life clearing bush, establishing settlements and farms without the benefit of electric tools and appliances. Bullocks and horses were used to cart materials and to plough the land, sheep were clipped manually, and cows were milked by hand.

Black & white photos courtesy Neil Rennie and the Electricity Supply Association of New Zealand.

Ploughing with an electric tractor. Power was taken from the mains through a transformer mounted on the back of a truck. Experiments were discontinued in the early 1940s.

The vacuum sucker was invented in the 1860s but required electricity to operate. Some forward thinking dairy farmers imported machines and, from the 1920s, onwards technological developments such as the double chambered teat cup ensured milking became easier.

The invention of fridges stimulated the expansion of the dairy industry and indeed the whole of New Zealand’s economy as dairy products and meat could finally be exported to the world. It was in 1882 that the first consignment of frozen lamb from New Zealand arrived in London aboard the ship from Dunedin.

Mechanisation at freezing works from the 1930s to the 1950s saw the change from one person butchering a carcass to each person doing just one cut as lines powered by electricity moved.

Later during the 1970s and onwards the introduction of electric fences, spray irrigation and computers contributed to the growth and productivity of our economy.

Electrical inventions that changed the nature of farming:

A belt driven commercial butter churner. The separator was also introduced in the 1890s, creating the foundations of our butter industry. Courtesy Faraday Centre.

Electricity revolutionised the dairy industry.

World Champion Shearer Cam Ferguson demonstrates sheep shearing. The first electric shearing was introduced in the 1890s.

Early Days of Local Power Generation

Although it was 1912 when the Hastings Borough Council first generated power for homes and businesses, a number of small generators were already operating around Hawke’s Bay.

The first sizeable plan was on Mokepeka [Mokopeka] Station, installed by Mr John Chambers in 1892, 11 years after Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.

Edison’s invention had sparked Chambers’ interest in electricity, and he had studied practical engineering by correspondence from an American university.

The power plant was imported from London, and Chambers constructed a dam across the Maraetotara Stream, as well as the required canals to channel the water to a turbine.

He constructed the power house to contain the electricity generating plant and associated control equipment, as well as the poles and overhead lines required to transport the electricity to the homestead, woolshed, and work shop. Mokepeka Station was completely self-sufficient thanks to Chambers’ hydro-dam.

He enjoyed the benefits of power for nearly fifty years before the town reticulation was extended to his neighbours. The farm remained self-sufficient until 1965, when their demands exceeded the generation of the power plant, although they still used the plant to supply parts of the property.

First fired up 130 years ago, the plant at Mokepeka is said to be the oldest hydro-station still generating power.

Chief Engineer Stan Winfield (far left) on a tour of Mokepeka Station’s hydro-generator in 1971.

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One Hundred Years of Linesmen

The first reticulated power system

The Hastings Borough Council was granted a licence to install a generating plant to supply electricity to Hastings in 1910 and, by 1912, the  Power House in Eastbourne Street was completed.

Hastings’ generating plant consisted of diesel powered generators with an output of 3,300volts. During this time, Hastings agreed to supply Havelock North with electricity, but unhappy that Hastings could not guarantee regular power supply, the Havelock North Town Board began investigating creating its own supply. A building known as ‘Transformer House’ was constructed, including a public rest house and bell tower, completed in 1919.

The Havelock North Town Board bought power from Hastings Borough Council until a hydro-plant at Maraetotara was commissioned in 1923.

The bell tower was later removed from the Transformer House and, now replaced with a clock, is more commonly known as the Havelock North Clock Tower.

Power House still stands today, for now.

The Havelock North Transformer House in the 1920s, before it became commonly known as the Havelock North Clock Tower.

1922- the first power generators of the Hawke’s Bay Power Board – diesel powered generators known as Dynamo’s. These were located in “Power House” in Eastbourne Street, Hastings.

Control Rooms

The Control Room is the heart of the network, controlling the supply to customers. In the early years this was done manually through the operations of switches, with the aid of computers, this can be done electronically.

The Hawke’s Bay Electric Power Board was one of the first large distribution companies in New Zealand to move to a computerised system, installing a computer in 1982 which supported the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.

Unison continues to be one of the leaders within the industry, with progress well underway to install one of the first Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) in New Zealand.

Alternating Current (AC) switchboard in Power House on Warren Street in February 1942. The Direct Current (DC) Switchboard is on the bottom right of the photo.

Control Room Operator Tom Bisson notes down a tap position for a zone transformer.

Frank Seed manually operates a switch in the Eastbourne Street Power House in the mid 1950s. The Control Room desk was located in front of this bank of switches.

1950s – Stan Winfield at the Control Desk with Tom Bisson and Ivan Whitton.

In the 1970s the Mimic Board was a progression from the large manual switches. The Control Room operator would turn the switch and after some ‘rhythmic clunking’ an indicator would change to show the operation was complete.

(L:R) Stan Winfield and Tom Bisson in the Control Room in the early 1960s. The Control Room features ‘Mimic Boards’ that replicate the layout of the network.

Merv Maggin mans the Control Room in the early 1970s, which has been extended to include metering units on the far left of the panels.

Pat McGovern fields a call in the Control Room in the newly constructed Warren Street office in 1992.

Field workers

Over the years, the employees responsible for the delivery of electricity to Hastings and Hawke’s Bay have seen many changes. Not only from the advancement of technology, but also the way they went about their daily work.

The use of contractors to work on the electricity network has a long history. This photo from 1927 is of the first two gangs employed by Herbert Walker, the first contractor to the Hawke’s Bay Power Board.

A field worker uses a cant hook to roll and position a pole on the Waitere block, in the early 1970s.

Installing a line at Ngatapa Station. Helicopters made raising poles and installing cable much easier. Horses and bulldozers were used in earlier times to get equipment into the back country in the mid 1970s.

George ‘Matey’ King using a folding crane to unload cable off a Leyland Comet truck in the 1960s.

Poles were raised using a winch mast before the invention of hydraulic cranes.

Doug Reid using a highway pole digger in the 1950s.

Tech-Fitter Bob Gibson tests a meter. Landis & Gyr still produce meters used on electricity networks today.

Warren Street before and after the undergrounding of power lines in the late 1960s. Today over 80% of Hastings’ residential areas have been undergrounded.

Safety Standards

Most noticeable has been the advancement of safety standards. Compared to the level of personal protective equipment required to work with electricity now, photos of workers in the early days of the industry up poles with no protection must give a modern day health and safety manager heart failure!

Safety equipment optional… Employees were issued with a raincoat, leggings, overalls and boots but use was not mandatory. Arthur Bell and Frank Horton performing low voltage maintenance work up a pole in the early 1960s.

Wayne Larwood (top left) and Ken Daubny (top right) working on a pole at the corner of Ada Street and Kathleen Street, while having a cigarette in the late 1970s. Terry Wairama (bottom left) and ‘troubleman’ Al Campbell (bottom right) look on. White overalls were only issued to the troublemen and tech-fitters, and keeping them pristine white was a matter of pride.

Before the invention of safety glasses: Morrie Bell prepares to remove a high voltage glass fuse. Standard practice was to look away while installing or removing glass fuses to protect the eyes in case of shattering in the late 1960s.

Des Ratama removes a high voltage fuse from a pad mounted transformer using an insulated stick. He would be required to wear flame retardant overalls, insulated gloves, safety boots, safety glasses, and visor.

Modern safety equipment for working with fuses.

Working on the lines…and their tans in the mid 1970s.

Now workers are required to wear flame retardant high-vis overalls, insulated gloves, safety boots, safety glasses, and secure themselves and their ladders to the pole.

1960s public education on electrical safety. Public safety has been a focus for many years.

Paul “Cooch” Jones teaches Te Pohue school children how to be safe around electricity in August 2012.

Linesmen Competitions and Safety Training

Linesmen competitions remain a regular feature of the electricity distribution industry. The competition test the technical skill and safety practices of linesmen.

All linesmen underwent regular training on safety practices like pole top rescues and CPR.

1962 Lineman Competition victors – (L:R) Ray Jackson, Howard Ashburn, Ian Jennings, Les McKee.

Performing CPR as part of the competition judging criteria for safety.

The Hawke’s Bay team pose with their trophy, 1962

1984 Linesmen Competition team (L-R) Horace Mahie, Ray Williams, Derek Maniapoto and Chris Johanson.

Power Board Offices

The face of electricity might have changed over the years, but the people behind the company have been a constant.

Technology evolved at a rapid pace over the last 100 years and some of Unison’s longest serving staff have seen through most of the changes.

Computers and the advancement of electronics have been one of the biggest evolutions in the industry.

Well before the days of ‘smoke-free’, some employees’ desktops included an ashtray so they could smoke a cigarette while they worked.

Alison Wright works the Switchboard.

1912 – Hastings Borough Council first generates power in Hastings

THE HAWKE’S BAY ELECTRIC POWER BOARD   1924

1924 – Hawke’s Bay Electric Power Board (HBEPB) incorporated to deliver power to Hawke’s Bay county areas.

1925 – Taradale reticulation taken over.

1927 – Pakowhai and Mangateretere first county areas to get reticulated supply via Redclyff [Redclyffe] substation.  First vehicle purchased for foreman (half tonne Ford Truck, $318).

1934 – Hastings urban reticulation taken over.

1936 – Havelock North reticulation taken over, and new headquarters purchased in Heretaunga St West.

1950’s – Second 20,000kVA point of supply built at Fernhill.

1958 – Approval for supply to be given at 33kVA.

1961 – Field operations moved to Parkvale and major extension completed on Heretaunga Street headquarters.

1966    Supervisory control system installed.

1970’s – Demand increased by 50% with the completion of the pulp mill at Whirinaki.

1990 – HBEPB purchase Bay City Power from the Napier City Council.

1992 – Energy Companies Act created to provide for formation of energy companies.

HAWKE’S BAY ELECTRIC POWER BOARD   1993

1993 – Hawke’s Bay Power established and all shares vested in Hawke’s Bay Power Consumers Trust.

1998 – Electricity Industry Reform Act separates retailing arm from distribution arm, and retail business sold to Contact Energy.

1999 – Hawke’s Bay Power renamed to Hawke’s Bay Network Ltd (HBN).

Hawke’s Bay Network 1999

2002 – HBN takes over management of Centralines Network.

2002 – HBN takes over management of Centralines Network.

2002 – HBN purchases Taupo and Rotorua electricity network assets from United Networks Ltd and Vector Ltd.

Unison 2003

2003 – HBN changes name to Unison Networks Ltd (trading as Unison), and is the fourth largest electricity lines company in NZ with over 105,000 customer connections, and 9,375km of lines.

Unison   The Powerlines People   2005

unisonfibre   Connecting People and Business   2009   ETEL

2009 – Unison establishes subsidiary company Unison Fibre Ltd, to install and deliver fibre optic network to Hawke’s Bay, Taupo and Rotorua.

Unison contracting   2010

2010 – Unison Contracting Services Ltd established to deliver third party electrical, fibre, vegetation and civil contracting services.

1920   1930   1940   1950   1960   1970   1980   1990   2000   2010

Radio Operator – Alf Erickson in the late 1950s.

Engineer Bob Benseman draws a plan by hand in the 1960s.  All plans were drawn by hand until 1992.  Designers had to share the sole computer initially, until more were purchased at the hefty price of around $4,500!

Radio Operator – Gordon Hannan in the late 1970s.

Vehicles over the years

Employees throughout the years have taken pride in their vehicles.  When linesmen teams would compete in competitions with their industry counterparts, it was always a great source of pride that they had some of the best trucks at the time.

The most commonly seen vehicle is the faultman’s truck.  Whenever a fault occurs it will be this truck that arrives to fix the fault and restore power to the customer.  Prior to 1996 they were called ‘troubleman’s trucks’, referring to the fact they were called out whenever there was trouble with the network.

Troubleman’s Truck of the 1950-60s – the Chrysler De Soto.

Lines truck from the 1950s.

Lines Supervisor station wagon – early 1980s.

The new yellow and white colour scheme displayed on the Dodge troubleman’s truck in 1978.

Les Silvester with his lines truck in the 1980s.

The colour scheme of the late 1980-early 90s-lines truck in 1992.

The first Toyota Land Cruiser to be used as a fault truck – late 1980s.

Part of a Bright and Vibrant Community

The showroom for the Power Board was often a way for the company to interact with the community.

Cooking demonstrations and cooking lessons were offered frequently over the years, initially as a way to encourage ‘housewives’ to convert to using electric stoves instead of gas or coal.

The showroom display window provided a great opportunity to educate consumers on the increasing array of electrical devices to make home life easier.

It was also a fantastic sight during the week of the Blossom Parade, and often won a prize in the window display competitions.

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During World War Two, the Power Board held a cooking demonstration for baking Christmas Cakes, and shipped the produce to New Zealand soldiers fighting overseas.

Local chef John Cornish judges a cooking competition held in the Power Board showroom in the 1970s.

Even a passing Power Board employee did a double take when the window display took a sip of tea!

The main streets of Hastings and the Power Board building were lit up to celebrate the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

A local radio DJ interviews a cooking contestant — 1972.

The showroom window in Blossom Parade week, 1964. The display won second prize.

In 1989 the Power Board blossom parade float contrasted life in 1909, prior to electricity, with the modern pleasures families could now enjoy.

Some Things Don’t Change

While some our everyday lives have changed dramatically thanks to electricity, and technology continues to evolve how electricity is delivered to our homes and businesses, some things haven’t changed.

Some things will never change for the engineers and field crews that work in all conditions to ensure we enjoy the benefits of an uninterrupted power supply.

Car v Pole

As long as there have been cars on the road, there have been collisions with power poles. Perhaps now the poles don’t come off second best, thanks the cars being built with a ‘crumple zone’.

One notorious spot for car versus pole power outages is the sharp bend on St Georges Road North. With drivers underestimating the sharpness of the corner, the occupants of the homes nearby have all too many times heard a bang, and seen their lights flicker before going off.

The power pole was actually moved to try and reduce the risk of a car hitting the pole for the benefit of both the occupants of the vehicles as well as the power supply.

Trees

Trees and power lines have never been a good mix. Unison vegetation crews work hard to ensure trees are kept trimmed and clear of lines, but wild weather and lack of maintenance on private properties have caused many outages over the years.

Even one small branch on a line can cause a power outage for thousands of customers!

Cyclone Bola snapped poles like match sticks as it wreaked havoc across the region.

Wild Weather

Wild weather has also been the cause of many power outages over the years. In July 1957 an entire line of power poles where [were] blown over by strong winds. The theory was that the drainage ditch running alongside the power poles in Pakowhai Road had been widened since the poles were erected, weakening their base. When the large gust came through, a faultman was actually driving down the road and witnessed the poles all fall over and come to rest on the adjacent fence. He called it into the Control Room and initially no one believed him!

The poles were erected again quite quickly using a relay of trucks, and power was restored within a few

Cyclone Bola also hit the region hard. The slips on farms took power poles with them, and the heavy rain caused severe flooding. Power Board staff used waders (and in some cases row boats!) to access substations so that they could do the work required to maintain the power supply. Troubleman Dave Parker accesses Esk Sub.

Accident on Omahu Road in the 1960s.

Doug Struthers with the branch responsible for a widespread outage in the early 1950s.

When the community wakes to snow on the ranges, there are no ‘snow days’ for linesmen who endure all kinds of weather to keep the power on.

“The electrical engineer had every street light in the town on by Sunday… it inspired confidence as well as preventing pilfering from private houses” – Edwin Scott, ‘A Report on the Relief Organisation in Hastings Arising out of the Earthquake in Hawke’s Bay’, 24 April 1931.

Earthquake damage, Russell Street, Hastings.
Photo courtesy HBM&AG

Earthquake

It’s referred to as the Napier Earthquake, but the 7.8 quake that hit the region also caused widespread devastation in Hastings. In a town of 12,000, over one hundred were killed and more than 2,500 required medical and surgical attention.

With the Christchurch earthquake still fresh in our minds, the impact of the quake on the city’s infrastructure is not hard to imagine.

In a report written by Edwin Scott, a civil engineer from Christchurch, he stated that after checking on their families, “the men of the power house staff re-entered the still shaking building, started up the standby diesel engines, and had the water supply pumps going within an hour and a half of the first shake”.

Normally the region’s power was received from the government’s hydro-electric high tension mains, but the transformers of both the Government and the Power Board were toppled during the earthquake and took many weeks to reinstate.

During the midst of the crisis only those who were doing official work (and for free) received permission from the Citizens Committee to have power restored to their premises.

To ensure the safety and supply of power to homes, the power board staff (supplemented by skilled labour) removed all the fuses on the poles and hung them from the cross arms with a piece of yarn. As the lines were inspected and deemed safe, the fuses were replaced. The order in which the blocks of houses were livened was decided by drawing street names from a hat!

Drought

While extreme weather patterns normally caused chaos for the linesman, drought also led to problems with the supply of power.

Early newspapers reported droughts in 1927, 1944 and 1946. The 1940s dry spell caused the Lake Taupo levels to drop, limiting power supply from the hydro-dam.

The regions were set a weekly target of maximum units of power consumption, and the residents given suggestions on how to reduce their power consumption.

After years of promoting the use of electricity, power was now a common way of life and reducing usage was a challenge for home owners and businesses. The risk of not curtailing their usage was the region could incur blackouts as the Board took drastic measures to reduce usage.

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SAVE
ELECTRICITY
THIS WEEK’S QUOTA ALLOTTED US BY THE GOVERNMENT IS 1,227,822 UNITS.
THIS IS 29,084 UNITS LESS THAN LAST WEEK.
THIS MEANS
Further Economies by You
HELP US TO HELP YOU
And thus reduce irritating Shut-downs to a minimum.
YOU CAN HELP BY –
Switching Off all LIGHTS when not in use.  Using your wireless as little as possible.  Using Radiators for ESSENTIAL purposes only.
With Further Cuts in Hot Water Services it is not anticipated that there will be a Shut-down to-day.
SWITCH IT OFF
and Safeguard Your Electricity Supply
Inserted by the
HAWKE’S BAY ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

DO YOU KNOW ….
THAT Electricity in New Zealand is generated mainly by water?
THAT owing to lack of rain the level of Lake Taupo is lower than ever before?
THAT each lime you turn on your switch more water is used at the generating, stations?
THAT a RADIATOR uses 2,250 GALLONS of WATER per HOUR?
THAT a 60w. LAMP Uses 140 GALLONS of WATER per HOUR?
THAT each H.P. of an ELECTRIC MOTOR uses 2,250 GALLONS of WATER per HOUR?
THAT a WIRELESS uses 140 GALLONS of WATER per HOUR?
THAT a VACUUM CLEANER uses 360 GALLONS of WATER per HOUR?
THAT a WASHING MACHINE uses 560 GALS. of WATER per HOUR?
THAT to boil a cup of water in your Electric HOT WATER SERVICE takes 45 GALS. of WATER?
The situation is DESPERATE – Please assist to your utmost by ECONOMISING in the USE of ELECTRICITY.
YOU are a partner in this undertaking –
SWITCH IT OFF and SAFEGUARD your ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
HAWKE’S BAY ELECTRIC POWER BOARD

Printed by Hawke’s Bay Today, Hastings
Hawke’s Bay
Today

Preparing For a Future of Possibilities

In celebrating 100 years of electricity in our region, it is timely to reflect on the role it plays in our lives.

Looking back, it is hard to imagine a life without electric heat, no TV, or having to hand-wash your family’s clothes.

Now, electricity is one of life’s necessities.

Yet, like all necessities, it has constantly evolved over the last 100 years, and it will continue to do so as we look towards the future.

In fact, according to Unison, the future is full of even greater possibilities.

Since the start of the decade, Unison has been preparing for the future of electricity. Unison Group Chief Executive, Ken Sutherland, said Unison was applying leading edge technologies to enhance its network, where deployment of its Smart Grid had revolutionised the Company’s business model and would bring customers the “electricity network of the future”.

“Our Smart Grid enables us to access information to make better and more informed network decisions to deliver on customer expectations.

“We have partnered with global experts in communications infrastructure and back office technology systems, as well as forming agreements with industry leaders across Australia to develop our Smart Grid.”

He said the Company had spent a number of years testing and deploying smart technologies, to try and understand their impact on the network, as well as customer benefits.

In recent years, the Company has installed self-healing technology to isolate faults whilst minimising disruption to customers, as well as network sensors to provide real-time information in order to find faults faster, restore power cuts quicker, and improve power quality. Unison has also been installing smart devices designed to ensure broken lines can be “fixed safely whilst maintaining power to customers.

But this was only the start, he said. With Unison’s help, customers will be able to enjoy the future of electricity, whilst understand how much it is going to cost them.

“For the past number of years we have been testing and deploying technology on our network so we can manage load more effectively. The next stage is smart devices at customers’ homes, to put the power back in their hands.”

A future of electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, smart meters and in-home smart devices?

“We are getting ready,” said Mr Sutherland.

“The way we use electricity is set to change forever, and Unison is working to enable that future — a future of exciting possibilities for our customers.”

Right: Unison is currently developing systems that will use real-time information captured by weather stations around the network. This will allow Unison to make use of the full capacity of its overhead lines while maintaining an efficient and secure supply of electricity to customers.

Below: Meter reading of the past. In the future, smart meters will enable data about energy usage and the status of power supply to be provided to customers and the Network in real time. This will help customers manage their energy needs and costs and Unison to deliver power even more reliably and efficiently.

Below: Unison is preparing for a future that includes electric vehicles. Hawke’s Bay Toyota CEO Angus Helmore and Unison Group CEO Ken Sutherland with a third generation plug-in Prius hybrid currently being trialled in Hawke’s Bay.

Right: Hawke’s Bay Power introduced pre-pay power to help consumers manage their expenses. When retailing was separated from distribution in 1998 this technology was sold to Contact Energy.