Page 388 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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STATE ENGINEER'S REPORT, 1365 (1946)
Electricity Undertaking.—The installation of a new MIRRLEES-B.T.H. generating set
of 206 kW capacity was completed on 6th April, 1946 and after preliminary running and final adjust­
ments, was put on load on 13th April, 1946. His Highness Shaikh Sulman visited the Power House
Station on this date and officially started up the engine' by opening the compressed air starting
mechanism. This generating set has operated successfully to date and has carried loads representing
90% of its rated output on numerous occasions for continuous daily periods between 7 and 24 hours.
Owing to the delay in obtaining the water pumps and cooler, to enable a closed circuit cooling system
to be used, it has run on an open circuit using an Heenan and Froude water cooler. This has resulted
in daily distilled water consumptions up to 1,140 galls, for 24 hours running as compared with a con-
sumption of 90 galls, when using a closed circuit under similar load and duration conditions. The
distilled water has had to be transported by road from the Naval Base at Jufair in a 500 gallon capacity
tanker, and the cost of this, together with the production costs has considerably increased electricity
generating costs.
As the new engine is of the high speed type and unable to operate when using the local raw
water, no alternative to the procedure employed was possible. There have been no shut downs during
the hot weather season, excepting on rare occasions for short periods and for reasons entirely beyond
control. The maximum load recorded was 400 kW. and the load variation during the months April-
October was between 330-400 kW. The maximum output of the plant during this period was
425 kW, which allowed a negligible margin of safety.
Power Distribution.—The present distribution system, which was planned when the first
two generating sets were installed in 1349, requires to be modified. The positions of the step down
transformers are not on the present centres of gravity of the respective loads, and their capacities are
insufficient. The High Tension feeder cables to the transformers are also, in some cases, of insufficient
capacity. This is the result of an increase in the generating output from 200 kW to 606 kW between
1349 ^4 the end of 1365 to supply an additional 1,474 consumers between the same dates. Four
of the original metal kiosks which house step down transformers and their associated switchgear
require to be dismantled and replaced by stone work buildings capable of accommodating larger capacity
transformers. This work has been planned for completion during 1366. Four power line standards
have had to be .replaced owing to damage caused by motor vehicles and three owing to excessive
corrosion which rendered them unsafe. Three H.T. line breakages occurred without serious damage
and also several L.T. line breakages. In each instance the breakage was the result of corrosive action
and old age.

Extensions to Power Supply.
(а) The B.O.A.C. rest house new sub-station of 100 kVA capacity supplying power for
lighting and air conditioning was connected during April.
(б) A new sub-Station of 50 kVA capacity was erected near to the fish market to provide
power for four new flour mills.
(c) A low tension cable supply was run from the power house to the new stores and machine
tool workshops.
(d) A new sub-Station to house an additional 50 kVA step down transformer was erected
in Muharraq. This is not yet connected to the H.T. cable as the transformer ordered
in England has not arrived.

New Load.—Additional connections during the year amounted to 265*800 kW as compared
with 89*500 kW during 1349* Details are as follows:—
I. Light, fan, and plug points 64*866 kW.
2. Power
(а) 4 Flour Mills 45*760 kW.
(б) Government Workshop Machine Tools 60*676 kW.

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