No Hydro-Electricity
p. 51 · Read in the full issue
For Suva
From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, January 21. rHE plan to harness the Navua River and supply Suva and southern Viti Levu with elec ricity has been regretfully jrapped.
Engineering and geological ex erts came to look at the proposi on last year, and have reported lat the scheme would cost >,000,000 —over £4 l million for the istallation, £315,000 for interest jring construction. This cost ould not include transmission lines id distribution organisation.
The experts also reported that le proposed dam would not pro de 48 square miles of water as aped, but something like three [uare miles; and that borings down » 150 feet at the dam site had jled to reach bedrock.
Annual charges for interest, sink ig fund, etc., after the dam was mipleted, are estimated to be )out £290,900 with no possibility ' being covered by revenue for at ast 10 years. Fiji Government terefore agreed with the Colonial evelopment Corporation (who was pay a substantial part of the »st) that this kind of hydro ectricity was not for Fiji and that >wer-hungry Suva would have to ok elsewhere for its needs.