NEW MANAPOURI FIGURE $3.5m Annual Cost If Lake Not Raised

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32219, 11 February 1970, Page 28

NEW MANAPOURI FIGURE $3.5m Annual Cost If Lake Not Raised

.Vew Zealand Press Association

WELLINGTON, February 10.

The annual cost to New Zealand of not raising the level of Lake Manapouri—as previously agreed with Comalco —will be much greater than the figure of slm quoted by the former Minister of Electricity (Mr T. P. Shand', according to the present Minister of Electricity (Mr Allen).

Speaking by telephone from Kawerau today, the Minister said that an additional annual cost of at least $3.55m would be involved in any decision not to raise the lake.

"If the lake is raised only to the natural hush level of 588 feet (that is. without the 27ft increase in the level planned at present) we would be 50 wegawatts short of the requirements for both the Crown bloc of power ' and Comalco's share.” he said.

“We have always quoted the cost of that 50 megawatts; as being sl.3m. “However, no lake stays at a constant level. And if Lake* Manapouri’s level is not raised, the level would be below the 588 ft mark in dry ; spells—about 10 per cent of! the time. "A 150 megawatt power station would be required on a stand-by basis to cope with this fluctuation.” The Minister said that such! a station, if it were to be of: the hydro-electric type, would; have a capital cost of about! 845 m and. even after subtract - ing such savings as unnecesj ary bush clearing and other works associated with present; plans, the net cost to New; Zealand would be $2.25m a year. Added to the Sl.3m cost of', the high-level shortage of 50 megawatts, this gave a total

I cost to New Zealand of i J 83.55 m. A thermal power Station as] a stand-by would be even; costlier, he said. Although the; ‘.capital cost was much lower.; the annual running cost] would be more than s3m. • giving a total annual cost to] the country of well over s4m.| ‘"For Posterity” The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall) said last night that the Government wanted ■'to see the beauty of Lake j Manapouri preserved for posterity. the Press Association • reported from Redwoodtown, in the Marlborough province He was opening the Naitional Party's by-election campaign in Marlborough before about 100 people After listing conservation ■ measures taken by the! Government, he said: “When; 'you see the record of achieve-1 ments which the Government] has in conservation then I; hope you will feel confident] we will see that the beauty] of Manapouri is preserved for! • posterity." Teach-in Planned In Wellington, it was an-! nounced that a teach-in would] be held next week to enable] the public to learn the facts;

about the Manapouri contro Iversy. The number of conflicting] ] statements being made by ]politicians and other sources! ion cost, despoliation and al- ] ternative solutions was lead ] iing to complete confusion,] •ithe chairman of the Welling-] i ton Save Manapouri ComJmittee (Sir Jack Harris) said] (today The teach-in will be held Jin Wellington on February] • 18 and is the Wellington com ] imittee’s first major public] • meeting since its foundation] !a fortnight ago. ' “We plan to bring together] top-level experts who can give the public the real facts." Sir Jack Harris said. “Since the] formation of the Wellington] committee we have been in I undated with requests for information. “We gather that politicians] who constantly change the cost to the country almost day by day, and others issu- ' ing conflicting statements, have really got the public • baffled. '“lt has always been our inJ tention to gather the facts] • and present them to the publie and this is what we aim: (to do at the seminar. ; “We are hoping that what-1 (ever the question, we will] (have an expert able to pro ] vide the answer." The composition of the ! panel would be announced I later this week, but the com ]mittee intended to get the itop men in their field who (would be stating facts, not ] opinions. Sir Jack Harris I said.