Gordon water levels a concern
SIMON Bevilacqua’s thought-provoking Talking Point “Climate change now a shared fact” (Mercury, October 16) set me reminiscing about the time I spent working as an electrical design draftsman in the Hydro’s Electrical Engineering drawing office, during which the Gordon Power scheme was being designed and built. This involved several visits to the scheme’s substation and switchyard, adjacent to the Gordon Dam and about 180m above the machine hall, which was to house the heart of the scheme, the water turbine powered generators.
On one visit, during a lunch break, we were offered a tour of the civil engineering branch’s handiwork, the cathedral-like machine hall carved out of rock near the river below, second in man-made grandeur only to the magnificent concrete arch dam nearby.
The hall is rectangular, with an arched roof, and I noticed two circular holes in the floor, where the first two generating sets were to be installed (there was room for five such sets, but being costly items, he others were to be installed as needed).
Being technically and scientifically minded, and familiar with growing concern about climate change, I wondered when, or more pessimistically, if, the last of these generators might be installed. With the winding-down of the Hydro’s construction phase, and it’s fragmentation into oddly named offspring businesses, I took an offer of voluntary redundancy and have been enjoying a busy retirement since, and have maintained only a passing interest in the Gordon Power scheme, save for an occasional wistful thought that perhaps future developments might enable the jewel of the South-West, the beautiful Lake Pedder, to be restored to its former glory.
Simon’s revelations prompted me to take a look at a few figures and the news is rather disturbing, more so than I expected. Briefly, following installation of a third generating set in 1988, the effects of drought and rising energy needs have caused the water level of Lake Gordon to fall to levels at which the generators do not operate efficiently. The situation became critical in the failure of the Basslink cable leading to the 2016 energy crisis in which the Lake reached its record low level of 55m below full, at which operation of the turbines can be damaged by debris being drawn into them.
Currently the level is at 25m below full, the station is operating below maximum efficiency. We might never see the lake reach full level, or the large and costly machine hall full of machines. All because nobody listened to the climate scientists.
David Clark Sandy Bay
THE PETULANT CHILD
ON the world stage, Australia is viewed as a petulant child throwing a tantrum while proactive countries make sound and clear decisions on climate change supported by science and research.
In the past eight years, we have seen three prime ministers, 21 energy policies and a last-minute deal with the National Party prior to the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow.
Imagine this country led by vital, informed 25 to 30 year olds who actually have real buy-in in the future of this country and can say, “this needs to be done, no excuse is acceptable.”
Vyv Alomes Dodges Ferry
NEITHER PARTY HAS A PLAN
I WATCHED the ABC program Q+A on Thursday night because it was about climate change. I didn’t learn anything. The Liberal and Labor spokesmen had heated exchanges with another panel
ist, shouting over each other. It is obvious that neither party has a plan, no matter how vague, to deal with the problem. A mayor of a NSW shire showed she does not have a role in politics because she admitted at the start she knew nothing about the topic and quietly sank into oblivion.
The representative of our First Nations people was most noticeable because of her earrings, which were beerglass coasters, probably made out of artificially coloured reeds. The questions from the audience were ignored as panelists, especially the politicians, either could not or would not answer.
The most pertinent statement was from the First Nations representative, who desired us to look at her cultures (there are about 250 of them) for sensible solutions. Which is right. If Australia reduces its population to about one million and they resume a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle, we might live on. Unfortunately, when the inevitable catastrophe occurs, it is the rich and powerful who will survive. But, as they have no life skills, they will live a miserable existence bemoaning the Ferrari in the garage that they cannot drive, because menial people have not maintained the roads, there is no petrol and there is nowhere to go.
Richard Watkins Kingston
HOLD YOUR HORSES
AS in choosing a winner for the Melbourne Cup, state and national governments are fast approaching a search for a winner. Tasmania should not rush into a situation of choosing a loser in the two-horse race between electric and hydrogen-powered cars.
Remarkable innovation that has seen hydrogen power become not only possible and proven, but new technology has perfected a system that produces no atmospheric (including noise) emissions. Electric-powered vehicles are clearly leading the race that can logically and economically have only one winner. Electricity stored in hi-tech batteries directly drive an electric vehicle whereas hydrogen gas must first be produced by use of electricity, adding another step and thus complicating a simple concept.
One improvement to electric vehicles should be abandonment of charging batteries at home or at plug-in roadside stations in favour of each car having its own demountable battery.
A stop at a changing station would enable instant robotic exchange by extracting a depleted one and inserting a fully charged unit. Worthy of note is that both NSW and Victorian governments are already contemplating a review of replacing lost revenue from petrol and diesel excises.
Even though politically unpopular it is only proper to legislate for a system that ensures road users continue to pay for new road construction and upkeep. Latest information suggests that a levy of 2c to 2.5c per kilometre could be introduced.
Alan Churchill Glenorchy