Hydro Storage Now More Comfortable
August 6th, 2008
Memories of the so-called “power crisis” are fading rapidly as hydro lake storage has moved steadily away from the Electricity Commission’s “min-zone.” As of last Friday, hydro lake storage had risen to 1672GWh, or 69% of average. The 30-day average weekly inflow was 474GWh or 118% of average, and meteorological experts are predicting a return to normal weather patterns over the next few weeks. This suggests hydro generation will also return to normal, taking the pressure off thermal stations which have been running at capacity for most of the winter months.
The debate is continuing over what kind of margin needs to be built into the NZ electricity system to cope with dry years, which appear to be increasing both numerically and in severity. The Govt, which has placed a 10-year moratorium on new base-load thermal capacity, is placing its faith in renewables, but some experts are sceptical about heavy reliance on new wind farms, because of the variability of wind strength.
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