Lake Cost ‘Like Opera House’

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32320, 11 June 1970, Page 30

Lake Cost ‘Like Opera House’

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 10. The “truly staggering increases” in the cost of the Manapouri scheme reminded him of the Sydney Opera House, Mr F. D. O’Flynn, Q.C., said at the Commission of Inquiry in Wellington today.

: Mr O’Flynn, appearing on hehalf of the ' Save Manapouri Campaign and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, was crossexamining the general manager of the New Zealand Electricity Department (Mr E. B. Mackenzie).

Asked if he did not agree that a 70 per cent increase in three years and a half was staggering, Mr Mackenzie said: "Under the circumstances that Is not to me a staggering increase.” Asked what the present estimate was for putting the three generators into Manapouri and getting them started, Mr’ Mackenzie said they would cost 512.9 m Devaluation had had an effect on costs, he said. There had also been design changes and extra quantities of work. The total increase of about s46m in the estimates over three years and a quarter included about S2om in the higher estimate for the tailrace tunnel and SlBm for the power house. The complete scheme was now estimated to cost sl43m, he said. Mr Mackenzie said he had suggested that the Crown might take the power that Comalco did not use. Cdmalco was entitled to the whole output, with the exclusion of the two Crown blocks. In reply to questions by Mr R. Savage (appearing for the Crown), Mr Mackenzie said that the extra 60 megawatts would be lost for good if the lake was not raised. Today was the sixth day of the inquiry.

The commission adjourned until June 23. It will then sit until June 26 in Wellington. On July 7 the hearing will resume in Invercargill.

Visit By Russian Ship.—A Russian scientific survey vessel, the 2650-ton Alba, which is now in Wellington will call at Lyttelton tomorrow for bunkering before a three-month survey of Antarctic waters.