Hint Of Possible Site For Smelter

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30478, 27 June 1964, Page 1

Hint Of Possible Site For Smelter

(New Zealand Press Association)

INVERCARGILL, June. 26.

The £3l million Manapouri power scheme was proceeding on the basis that an aluminium smelting industry would be established in Southland, the project manager for the Bechtel Pacific Corporation (Mr N. Long) said today.

He was commenting on the fact that the transmission line, which will carry power from the underground powerhouse at the West Arm of Lake Manapouri, will be surveyed' to end at Awarua Bay. Mr Long said that Comalco Industries Pty., Ltd. had a certain time in which to decide whether the smelter would be established. There would be time after that decision was made to halt the transmission line at Invercargill, but there would not be time to' do all the necessary enginering work on the Invercargill-Awarua Bay section of line if a decision was made tc go ahead. “Therefore all the necessary work will be done to take the line to Awarua Bay if necessary,” Mr Long said. The route of the line from

the borders of Fiordland to Awarua Bay on a roughly south-easterly course across Southland was set by the Electricity Department. Though no confirmation from any source is available, its terminal at Awarua Bay seems to confirm that the smelter, if it goes ahead, will be sited there. No definite site for the smelter has been announced.