Drought Cuts New
p. 127 · Read in the full issue
Caledonia’s Nickel Production
New Caledonia’s nickel in dustry is facing a crisis because a drought has reduced the level of water in Yate dam. This, in turn, has reduced production of hydro-electirc power to work the smelters.
The power output has fallen at a time when the nickel smelters should be working at full capacity because of extra orders received for nickel.
Auxiliary diesel generators are in use, but unless there is heavy rain for the remainder of the year, the power output will be so small that ferro-nickel pro duction could drop by as much as 70 per cent by February.