Archive for October, 2008

Meridian’s Tough Year, But Other SOEs Prosper

Two of the state-owned power companies prospered over the last year, but the biggest, Meridian Energy, took a $112m hit on its bottom line as it coped with the “most demanding operating environment” in its 10-year history. Meridian’s chiefs say the depleted state of its storage lakes will impact on its business for a further […]

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At Last - Energy Provides A Real Election Policy Difference

• Parties differ widely on energy.
• Labour opposed to thermal plants.
• National silent on price increases.
Energy policy is one of the few areas of sharp policy difference between the National and Labour parties at this election. Labour is committed to 90% renewable energy by 2025, and expects most of it to come from geothermal steam […]

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Electricity Heavyweights Tackle Locational Price Risk

It’s one of those obscure aspects of the way the national grid works, but locational risk factor management is a contentious, long-running $100m a year cost to the electricity industry, so it matters submissions are now in on the EC’s proposals. The EC wants to abandon development of Financial Transmissions Rights in favour a Locational […]

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Nats Seek To Encourage More Forest Planting

The National Party has announced its forestry policy, designed to “get NZ planting again.” Forestry Spokesman Shane Ardern says National will reverse the deforestation which has occurred during the past four years, and will “re-engage” with foresters and forestry owners, encourage sustainable timber products and “help the forestry industry become a significant player in NZ’s […]

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State Of The National Grid Lambasted By Transpower Top Man

• Grid investment lagging.
• Modern day demands are extreme.
• System less able to cope with failures.
Transpower CEO Patrick Strange has been painting a gloomy picture on the real state of the national grid. It is the kind of comment the CEOs of SOEs might generally only give if they really want a new Govt to […]

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