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A History of the Roxburgh Power Scheme
As young engineers the two authors both worked on the construction of this hydroelectric power station on the Clutha, New Zealand’s largest river.
In the decades following World War II, New Zealand faced a continuous and rapid growth in the demand for electricity that created intense pressure on the Government to build the generating capacity that would satisfy this demand. There was also a great shortage of manpower. Power supply in the South Island was rationed with restrictive regulation of connection and use, and blackouts. The Government’s solution was to call tenders from international contractors who could bring in the needed resources. The successful contractors, a consortium of an English and a Swiss firm, did not perform well. Eighteen months into the work the Government intervened. The contract was terminated and a new consortium formed by adding a New Zealand construction firm to the two overseas companies. The new firm this created carried the work through to completion under a new contract.
This book underlines the contribution, value and importance of competent engineering inspection.
The authors bring their first- hand knowledge to cover both the politics behind these changes and the construction; the setting up of the temporary construction village, Roxburgh Hydro; the environmental effects and the changes that have been needed in the fifty five years since the first power was generated. One of these was the 1990s flooding problem at Alexandra caused by the silting up at the head of Lake Roxburgh.
It makes an intriguing and interesting story that blends the personalities and the engineering within the socio-political context of the time.
In the decades following World War II, New Zealand faced a continuous and rapid growth in the demand for electricity that created intense pressure on the Government to build the generating capacity that would satisfy this demand. There was also a great shortage of manpower. Power supply in the South Island was rationed with restrictive regulation of connection and use, and blackouts. The Government’s solution was to call tenders from international contractors who could bring in the needed resources. The successful contractors, a consortium of an English and a Swiss firm, did not perform well. Eighteen months into the work the Government intervened. The contract was terminated and a new consortium formed by adding a New Zealand construction firm to the two overseas companies. The new firm this created carried the work through to completion under a new contract.
This book underlines the contribution, value and importance of competent engineering inspection.
The authors bring their first- hand knowledge to cover both the politics behind these changes and the construction; the setting up of the temporary construction village, Roxburgh Hydro; the environmental effects and the changes that have been needed in the fifty five years since the first power was generated. One of these was the 1990s flooding problem at Alexandra caused by the silting up at the head of Lake Roxburgh.
It makes an intriguing and interesting story that blends the personalities and the engineering within the socio-political context of the time.
413 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2012
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About the author
David Ellis
56 books3 followersLibrarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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