Minister lends ear to West Coast hydro scheme

Thursday, 18 July 2024

Energy Minister Simeon Brown met with a West Coast power company trying to revive plans for a controversial hydropower scheme scrapped by the last Government.

In 2019, then Environment Minister David Parker declined a $100 million hydro-scheme on the Waitaha River in Westland that would have generated enough electricity to power about 12,000 households.

Westpower, a 100% community-owned company, was granted “in principle” a concession from the Department of Conservation but Parker declined the application, to prevent significant impacts on the natural character, intrinsic value and people’s enjoyment of the area.

The National party previously promised it would overturn the decision if elected.

Brown said on the West Coast on Thursday that he was meeting with Westpower leaders to discuss “energy issues”.

“Energy is a really important issue for the Coast and so getting a sense of the local energy needs and opportunities, particularly as we grow our renewable energy in New Zealand is a top priority for this Government,” he said.

He said he would be briefed on the project to understand where it was at.

Westpower’s chief executive, Peter Armstrong, said it was great to meet the Minister to outline the proposal to build the Waitaha scheme.

“It was encouraging for us that he visited and took an interest in our company and our ambitions,” he said.

He said he showcased the achievements of Westpower over the last few years including the highly successful Amethyst run of river hydro scheme and also discussed electricity security of supply on the West Coast.

Brown also met with the region’s three mayors to talk about local government issues.

The region has a small number of ratepayers who are facing some of steepest rate rises in the country. The West Coast Regional Council has adopted its new 10-year plan - and with it a 27% rates rise in the first year.

“One of the topics I'll be discussing with the councils today is around the increase in rates … We're developing a framework around regional deals, which is about actually having a much better partnership between local and central government with the long term view of infrastructure needs across New Zealand,” Brown said.

Brown previously rejected a plea for a $12m stormwater upgrade, which the Buller mayor said was essential to Westport’s life saving flood protection.

Brown said the issue was still be to be worked through.

He hoped councils would put forward water service delivery plans over the next 12 months and have conversations with other councils to band together to establish “more financially sustainable” council-controlled organisations, under the Local Water Done Well legislation.

“We have to obviously have high environmental standards, but we also have to make sure that what we do is affordable to local communities,” Brown said.

Brown said he would not be meeting any mining industry representatives while on the West Coast.

Resources minister Shane Jones has come under fire for omitting a meeting on the West Coast in his diary with Bathurst Resources chief executive Richard Tacon, deputy chairman of the Stevenson Group Barry Bragg, and vice president of Federation Mining Simon Delander.

He blamed the omission on an administrative error but Labour accused him of misleading the public when he told media it was a “last-minute thing” despite it being arranged by his office four days prior.

When Brown was asked whether he had any concerns about the omission, he said that was a question for Jones.

“I’ve outlined my diary for the day,” he said.

Brown also pledged support for West Coast roads and welcomed progress made on projects - worth $22m - previously announced by the Government including river protection works at the Whataroa River and the Wanganui River bridge on State Highway 6.

“State highways across the West Coast are critical lifelines for communities throughout the region, including for freight and tourism. The Government is committed to ensuring these lifelines are resilient to ongoing severe weather events and other natural hazards,” he said.