Power plant recommended at B'lands

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 54, 9 July 1974, Page 13

Power plant recommended

at B'lands

The planning committee on electric power development has recommended the commissioning of a 50 megawatt geothermal power station at Broadlands by October, 1981, and another 100 megawatt station by October, 1982, said the Minister of Mines, Mr Coiman, in Parliament. He was replying on behalf of the Minister of

Works and Development, Mr Watt, to a question by the MP for Taupo, Mr J» W. Ridley ' Mr Ridley had asked Mr Watt to advise the date at which construction of the geothermal power project

at Broadlands would proceed; and did he agree that the interruption had delayed power production, and could he indicate the approximate length of such delay caused by the stopping of the project by the National Government. "The committee has included a geothermal power station in the 1974 power plan which was tabled in the House," said Mr Coiman. "The building of a 150 megawatt station at Broadlands was recommended." Investigation drilling on the Broadlands field began in 1965 and continued until the beginning of 1971, when the work was stopped. "By that time steam had been proved sufficient to support a 100 megawatt station," said Mr Coiman.

"In 1972 the power planning committee stated that a new 250 rfiegawatt generating plant had to be provided in the North Island alone, antf technical resources could be concentrated on projects large enough to keep abreast of the electricity demand." Mr Coiman said the geothermal programme had been delayed by nearly three years because work was stopped in 1971.