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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
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Trumpy Offline OP
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The owners of the National Grid here in NZ have been warned that should thier price increases next year exceed the pre-set threshold, that they could be subject to regulation.
Here's an article from Stuff.co.nz:
Warning for Transpower over price rise

It's been no secret here that the average consumer has been getting ripped off as far as prices go here, since the reforms bought in in 1992 were supposed to make power cheaper.
The CEO of Transpower "earns" NZ$4052 a day!. [Linked Image]

Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 223
A
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Quote
since the reforms bought in in 1992 were supposed to make power cheaper.

Just like this side of the Tasman, I can't think of any 'reform' that has been to the consumer's benefit; on the other hand if you're a CEO...It really is quite obscene what some people get paid and I'd think after a short time you'd run out of things to spend your money on. How do they justify it?

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
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Trumpy Offline OP
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Aussie,
On that sort of money, you should be renewing the National Grid all by yourself.
Us registered people here lost a lot of our power as Electricians, with respect to getting the PoCo Inspectors to sign our work off.
They had a better idea of the Regs, and they knew whose work was up to scratch and whose wasn't.
Same side of the coin, mate, PoCo's back then under the permit system knew exactly what was being connected to their lines, with respect to connected load.
We have no idea now, the idiot that caused this has more than anything caused us to drop the ball!.
Transformers are overheating or burning out fuses in some places in town here.
Thanks a lot Max Bradford!. [Linked Image]
Self-Certification??.
Who are you trying to kid?
Considering that only 33% of Electricians here (if it is in fact that high) actually use the CoC's, shows that a LOT were let off with no limits to the damage that they can cause.


[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 11-28-2005).]

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
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£300,000 a year is sweet Fanny Adams in the higher corporate echelons salary mart. If a CEO screws up, thousands of familes go on the dole. If he gets it right, there's money in the pot for better pay and conditions, expansion and dividends for the stockholders, (not forgetting that the bulk of capital is from small investors on limited incomes). The people who have the nous to steer huge corporations well are pretty thin on the ground, hence the high pay to get the right person.
It's a capitalist world, me dears, and if you knows of a better 'ole, go to it!!
As to spending it, no problemo!!

Alan


Wood work but can't!
Joined: Jul 2002
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Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Don't get me wrong guys,
I'm not against companies making a dollar or two providing a service or goods, but to a degree here, it's been at the expense of the Network that provides the goods.
If an Electrician owns a van that they use for work, they wouldn't just not keep the maintainence up on the vehicle and run it into the ground.
You'd keep the thing clean and keep it running properly wouldn't you.
However, if that van became either too small or couldn't keep up with your current (or prospecive) needs, you'd get a better one wouldn't you?.
I realise this is a rather simplistic veiw of the problem, but it's what is currently happening.

Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 354
K
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Trumpy, you're right, Transpowers CEO isn't looking after his van properly. The Auckland CBD blackouts were proof of this.

We can only hope that the enormous salary lures a CEO to Transpower clever enough to soup up the old Van within budget.

Joined: Jul 2002
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Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Good call Kiwi,
But one thing has to be thought about here.
To a degree, it's not Transpowers fault when you get people like this
abating any chance of ever upgrading the Grid.
Most people here want a supply, but most don't realise that they are cutting thier own throats.
I say cut the DC Link at Benmore and let them argue it out up North. [Linked Image]
While all the greenies up north stop the progress of Transpower, they are also stopping the upgrade of the lines down here.
We could survive here easily on the installed capacity down here.
North Island?, who are they?. [Linked Image]

Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 354
K
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Yes Trumpy I read that story today. I thought that if the protesters under the pylon were all issued with hard-hats then the work should have continued [Linked Image]

Regarding the state of the national grid:

An interesting point here is ; If the government still owned our national grid, would they have done it better ?

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 869
Likes: 4
R
Member
The 400 kV line to Auckland needs to be built soon.

In the local news rag there was an article for resource consent to increase the temperature of the Grid wires from 70°C to 120°C.
The reason for that is the extra sagging of the cables within allowable clearances. Imagine the powerlosses!! [Linked Image]

Other option is to triple or quadruple the current carrying conductors , which is common in Europe, OK it adds extra weight, perhaps the cost of strengthening towers and insulators may not outweigh the benefits.

The power here in West Auckland has gone up from 8.26 Cts kWh to 14.87 cts kWh in about 10 years, thats nearly double!! Now you pay extra for cable faults to your property and or point of entry, used to be included. Linecharges up from 20cts to 63cts / day.
Also the electricity commision levy of 0.17 cts kWh an other rip off tax.

Just something to ponder about.
Time for a nice coffee now

Cheers


The product of rotation, excitation and flux produces electricty.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
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Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Ray, I know what you mean.
But, back when I was an Electrical Apprentice I got the old Blue book called the "Electrical Theory And Practice".
In that book, was a map of the Network as of the 1960's-70's, there were a lot of power stations in the North Island that were shut down, mainly because it was thought at the time that the South Island would provide all of the capacity and more to the North Island.
A lot of them power stations were coal or gas-fired plants, they have been dismantled and sold off as scrap.
Now, has'nt that come back and bit us in the backside?.
Ray, you might see a few of my posts here being down on people from the North Island, mainly Auckland, but I think everyone has a part to play here.
It seems to me however, that everyone wants bigger houses or to live on a lifestyle block here, but no-one wants pylons near thier place.
The people on the lifestyle blocks don't realise that thier power is brought via 11, 22 or 33kV lines.


[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 12-11-2005).]

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