Christchurch City Council. Municipal Electricity Department. (1920-1989)
Dates
- Existence: 1920 - 1989
Parallel Names
- MED
Biography
In 1903 the Christchurch City Council established a small scale public supply of electricity. In subsequent years other local councils established similar departments. The Electricity Department was restructured in 1920 and was renamed the Municipal Electricity Department in 1922.The Municipal Electricity Department took over the responsibility for the distribution of electricity to Waimairi County in 1946.
On 1 February 1989, the new company, Southpower, was officially formed by the amalgamation of the Christchurch Municipal Electricity Board and the Central Canterbury Electric Power Board. With the addition of the Port Hills Energy Authority and then Riccarton Electricity in November, it became the second largest supply authority for electricity in New Zealand.
Southpower was both a lines company and a retailer of electricity. Following government reform of the sector, in 1998 Southpower sold its retail activities and retained its network activities.
In December 1998 the company was renamed Orion New Zealand Limited.
Orion New Zealand is a community owned entity with two key shareholders - the Christchurch City Council, through its subsidiary Christchurch City Holdings Ltd (89.3%) and the Selwyn District Council (10.7%).
Found in 124 Collections and/or Records:
News Clippings Book, 1992 - 1996
MED News Clippings book - 1992-1996
Original lamps, 1940 - 1950
Framed photograph --Six of the original lamps of the 1940s
Orion News Clipping, 1999
News clipping 6/10/1999 related to Orion money on new cabling
Orion, photographs, negatives, papers, 1960 - 2002
Black and white photograph of an articulated pole carrying vehicle, 1962, Colour photograph circa 2001 showing an historical reenactment using an Walker electric truck featiring Chris Digby, Neville Digbey and Ted McCulloch in historical dress. Negative of electric vehicles, and laying cables in a street possibly 1920s. Includes paper copies from a 2001 and 2002 Orion Annual Report.
Photographs of MED Building construction , 1937 - 1938
Plant Machinery; Substations: Prints, 1920 - 1950
Various bw prints of Plant Machinery and Substations
Power Boards: Prints, 1920 - 1980
Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin Power Board images and Dunedin substations
Press cuttings volume, 1983 - 1986
Bound volume of Press Cuttings Dec 1983 - Nov 1986
Rehoused from old temp box 2
Rooftop View of Christchurch, 1920 - 1940
Very large, black and white, framed, oversized print rooftop/city scene