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31 January 2007 - The New Zealand Electricity Commission says Transpower's latest proposal for a high voltage power line between Waikato and Auckland is substantially better than its previous plan.
The commission blocked Transpower's original proposal to boost power supplies into Auckland, but on Wednesday gave the go-ahead to a new proposal. It will initially operate at 220kV, but can be converted to 400kV at a later date.
Commission deputy chairperson, Peter Harris, says that is a substantial improvement on the plan, which the commission turned down last year. He said, "It is significantly more reliable, it is more flexible, and it offers benefits at lower comparable costs."
Mr Harris says the commission can only approve the funding for the proposal, which still has to go through the resource consent process. The commission's approval also includes a connection into Pakuranga, in addition to the current destination of Otahuhu, and puts more of the lines underground.
Mr Harris says most commissioners agree with Transpower that a reliable supply of electricity into, and through, Auckland requires a substantial upgrade of the transmission grid from South Waikato. He says they also agreed that most elements of the proposed upgrade were not controversial.
Transpower says the decision is of crucial importance for the whole country and will give reassurance that a secure supply will be available in the long term. Chief executive Ralph Craven says Transpower will work closely with local authorities, landowners and communities who will be affected by the 180km line.
He told Checkpoint it has been talking to 297 landowners for almost two years.
Mr Craven says the project is huge and there are major resource consent issues to get through, and he cannot say when construction will actually begin.
New Era Energy, which has been fighting the plan, says there are cheaper and better alternatives to ensuring Auckland's security of supply, and this move is a giant step backwards.
Bob McQueen from New Era Energy says Transpower's budgeted NZ$100m ($69m) for compensation is nowhere near enough.
He says Transpower should revise its easement width from 65m to 600m and raise compensation to about NZ$800 million, which would also compensate neighbouring landowners whose property values will drop.
The commission says it expects to hold a public conference on its decision, and will invite public submissions. It says its final decision will be issued in May at the earliest.
More than 140 submissions were received on the revised
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