Second smelter
Sir,—lt was with concern that I read the report of Hugh Fletcher’s address to the N.Z.I.M. To a question from the floor Mr Fletcher reportedly said he did not accept that “tying up” New Zealand electricity to aluminium was a bad thing. There was simply no alternative use for the quantum of power available; not to use an energy source was a wasted use. Mr Birch said in Dunedin “essentially we decided to build on the 2000 GWh and deliberately create sufficient electricity for . a second smelter.” The 2000 gWh surplus is already committed to the third potline at Bluff. “We took this decision because we assessed that the benefits to be gained from electricity-inten-sive industries — from aluminium smelting — were worth the trouble and outweighed the cost of accelerating the power programme.” Despite the implication in Mr Fletcher’s statement, “the quantum of power available,” does not exist as electrical energy. — Yours, etc., NOEL GOURDIE. March 26, 1981.
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Press, 28 March 1981, Page 14
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159Second smelter Press, 28 March 1981, Page 14
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