Media Release
For immediate release: Monday 21 February 2005
Water allocation plan disastrous
for electricity supplies, warns Meridian
State-owned power company Meridian Energy warns a new water allocation plan for the Waitaki River threatens the
efficient operation of a cornerstone of the country’s electricity supply.
The warning follows the weekend announcement of the draft water allocation plan by the Waitaki Catchment Water
Allocation Board.
Chief Executive Keith Turner says not only does the plan threaten security of electricity supply in the South Island, it
has serious implications for electricity supply over the whole country.
Dr Turner says the threat comes mainly from proposed new minimum flows on the lower Waitaki River, and by new minimum
flows in the upper part of the catchment that have not been required in the past.
“The plan as it stands now would have a serious impact on the efficient operation of the Waitaki hydro chain, which
supplies about a quarter of the country’s electricity. The Waitaki chain is one of the most efficient in the world, and
this plan would reduce the amount of electricity it is able to produce – at the very time when the country is facing a
tight power supply.
“The minimum flow regimes proposed for the lower Waitaki do not appear to be based on scientific work or best
environmental practice.
“It seems to be aimed at maintaining a uniform flow down the river, which in its natural state is enormously variable –
so it is hard to see the logic.”
The plan sets a minimum environmental flow down the lower Waitaki River between the Waitaki dam and the sea of 200
cumecs between May and October and 230 cumecs from November to April.
Meridian's existing resource consent allows a minimum flow of 120 cumecs, although this is rarely reached. In its
natural state the river flows have dropped as low as 80 cumecs in dry years.
A new environmental flow of three cumecs is set for the Tekapo River, in addition to the environmental flows already
allocated to the Ohau River.
Dr Turner says Meridian has yet to fully assess the impact of the draft proposals “but at first glance they don’t look
good for a secure electricity supply”.
“It reinforces the wisdom of our cancelling Project Aqua. We were told when this allocation was first mooted that it
wouldn’t delay the consent process; yet here we are a year since that decision with only the draft of a plan,” Dr Turner
says.
[ends]