Conflict kills power opportunities

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 7, Issue 341, 26 June 1990, Page 4

Conflict kills power opportunities

Board member Gordon Gower said the board had lost several opportunities to generate electricity cheaply and efficiently because there was no room for negotiation. He did not think common sense had prevailed and that the conservationists had the weight in their favour. Mr Scott told the board he believed the mechanism that would have allowed for a coordinated, co-operative

approach to resource management - the Resource Law Management Bill - while not foundering, had struck enormous difficulties. He said he believed an either/or situation where conservationists or developers "win" was a nonsense. If that was taken to extremes there would be no cities in New ' Zealand and no bridges. The resource bill was aimed at allowing balanced use of sustainable

resources. The value of smaller generation plants was highlighted by the next question put to Mr Scott. Gordon Gower asked Noel Scott why it cost Electricorp an average of more than six cents a unit to generate power when the board's generation costs as Kuratau were less than half a cent a unit. Mr Gower said with the biggest potential savings identified in

the generation area. why did Government choose not to target that area before the distribution industry? The MP's response was, in his words, a somewhat "facile" answer - it was probably more difficult. Generation opportunities were lost because of the conflict style of negotiations in New Zealand, Tongariro MP Noel Scott was told when he attended the King Country Electric

Power Board meeting in Taumarunui on Friday.