πΌ Rotorua Electricity Supply
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[0] => Rotorua was established as a tourist and health resort in 1883. The township and much of its infrastructure was controlled by the government, and this included the supply of electric power and lighting to the district. Rotorua was one of the first towns to get an electricity supply, as the Government realised how important this would be for the promotion and growth of the area.
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[history] => In 1899 tenders were let by the Lands & Survey Department for the installation of an electric generating plant at Okere Falls and the supply of lamps in the township of Rotorua. The completion date for the plant was July 1900, but it did not come into operation until May 1901.[1] On the night of 20 May 1901, the railway station, post office, baths and sanatorium grounds were lit by electricity for the first time.
On the 1 September 1901 the new Department of Tourist and Health Resorts took over the electricity supply and the running of the town from the Department of Lands & Survey. This involvement by central government in local power supply was not the norm. The generation, transmission and supply of electric power to a district was more usually managed by an Electric Power Board whose members had been duly elected.
The Department of Lands & Survey had initially canvassed residents about their requirement for domestic supply, but due to the limited response had not installed large turbines. However by the end of 1902 there was a large increase in private use of lighting in Rotorua. The station struggled to meet demand until 14 February 1926 when the Rotorua Power Scheme changed from the Tourist Department owned station at Okere to the Public Works Department generator at Horahora.[2] The Department kept control of all the reticulation work and purchased the energy from the Public Works Department in bulk and sold it on.
From 1936 a major revamp of the electric system took place with the conversion from 110 volts to 230 volts. This took longer than expected and was still being carried out at the beginning of the war.
Post war much criticism was leveled at the Crown because of the continuing blackouts and power shortages in the Rotorua District. In 1950 the Department reported that there was still a shortage of electricity in the area, and owing to the rapid expansion of Rotorua, it was having difficulty in keeping up with the demand.[3]
By 1960 there were 11,400 consumers using the network with almost 500 new users being hooked up a year. In the Annual report for 1964 the Rotorua Electrical Supply was responsible for the distribution of power to 40,000 people over an area of 3.000 square miles.[4]
In 1967 the Rotorua and County Empowering Bill was introduced in an effort to transfer control of the electricity system to the city, however this was deferred. By 1969 discussions were initiated with the Electricity Distribution Commission for the transfer of the Department’s electricity supply functions to a local power supply authority.[5]
During 1970 negotiations had begun for the electricity supply to be changed from government authority to control by the Rotorua City and County Councils. On the 29 March 1972 the electricity scheme was formally handed over to a new controlling body the Rotorua Area Electricity Authority.[6] The Department, from the infant scheme of 1901, handed over a going concern of nearly 19,000 consumers covering a total area of 1,500 square miles.[7]
Footnotes:
[1] The New Century in Rotorua, p375
[2] The New Century in Rotorua, p30
[3] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1950, H-2, p14
[4] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1964, H-2, p3
[5] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1969, H-2, p15
[6] The New Century in Rotorua, p375
[7] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1972, H-2, p7
Principal Legislation
The Rotorua Town Council Act 1900
The Rotorua Town Council Act 1907
The Rotorua Borough Council Act 1922
Tourist and Publicity Department Act 1963
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Show History
In 1899 tenders were let by the Lands & Survey Department for the installation of an electric generating plant at Okere Falls and the supply of lamps in the township of Rotorua. The completion date for the plant was July 1900, but it did not come into operation until May 1901.[1] On the night of 20 May 1901, the railway station, post office, baths and sanatorium grounds were lit by electricity for the first time.
On the 1 September 1901 the new Department of Tourist and Health Resorts took over the electricity supply and the running of the town from the Department of Lands & Survey. This involvement by central government in local power supply was not the norm. The generation, transmission and supply of electric power to a district was more usually managed by an Electric Power Board whose members had been duly elected.
The Department of Lands & Survey had initially canvassed residents about their requirement for domestic supply, but due to the limited response had not installed large turbines. However by the end of 1902 there was a large increase in private use of lighting in Rotorua. The station struggled to meet demand until 14 February 1926 when the Rotorua Power Scheme changed from the Tourist Department owned station at Okere to the Public Works Department generator at Horahora.[2] The Department kept control of all the reticulation work and purchased the energy from the Public Works Department in bulk and sold it on.
From 1936 a major revamp of the electric system took place with the conversion from 110 volts to 230 volts. This took longer than expected and was still being carried out at the beginning of the war.
Post war much criticism was leveled at the Crown because of the continuing blackouts and power shortages in the Rotorua District. In 1950 the Department reported that there was still a shortage of electricity in the area, and owing to the rapid expansion of Rotorua, it was having difficulty in keeping up with the demand.[3]
By 1960 there were 11,400 consumers using the network with almost 500 new users being hooked up a year. In the Annual report for 1964 the Rotorua Electrical Supply was responsible for the distribution of power to 40,000 people over an area of 3.000 square miles.[4]
In 1967 the Rotorua and County Empowering Bill was introduced in an effort to transfer control of the electricity system to the city, however this was deferred. By 1969 discussions were initiated with the Electricity Distribution Commission for the transfer of the Department’s electricity supply functions to a local power supply authority.[5]
During 1970 negotiations had begun for the electricity supply to be changed from government authority to control by the Rotorua City and County Councils. On the 29 March 1972 the electricity scheme was formally handed over to a new controlling body the Rotorua Area Electricity Authority.[6] The Department, from the infant scheme of 1901, handed over a going concern of nearly 19,000 consumers covering a total area of 1,500 square miles.[7]
Footnotes:
[1] The New Century in Rotorua, p375
[2] The New Century in Rotorua, p30
[3] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1950, H-2, p14
[4] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1964, H-2, p3
[5] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1969, H-2, p15
[6] The New Century in Rotorua, p375
[7] Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1972, H-2, p7
Principal Legislation
The Rotorua Town Council Act 1900
The Rotorua Town Council Act 1907
The Rotorua Borough Council Act 1922
Tourist and Publicity Department Act 1963
- π’ Tourist and Publicity Department (1901 ‑ 1970)
- π’ Department of Industries and Commerce, Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity (1930 ‑ 1946)
- π’ Department of Lands and Survey, Head Office (1899 ‑ 1901)
- π’ Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourists - Tourist Division (1909 ‑ 1912)
- π’ Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, Head Office (1912 ‑ 1930)
- π’ Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, Head Office (1901 ‑ 1909)
- π’ Tourist and Publicity Department, Head Office (1946 ‑ 1972)
- π Lands (4) (1899 ‑ 1901)
- π Tourist and Health Resorts (1) (1901 ‑ 1930)