Clyde dam

Press, 18 May 1982, Page 20

Clyde dam

Sir,—lt is interesting to hear from the Minister of Energy l , (Mr Birch), that the Clyde dam is now necessary for the South Island’s projected electricity demand and that any additional demand, such as for a second aluminium smelter, would require use of North Island thermal stations (“The Press,” May 15). In other words, the “cheap” energy that the Government has been trying to sell on the world market is, in fact, coal, gas, and imported oil. It is time the Government stopped trying to maintain a position that is becoming increasingly untenable and made an honest assessment of New Zealand's energy future—Yours, etc., ROGER BROWNE. May 16, 1982.

Sir—Mr Birch (“The Press." May 15) claimed that “the Clyde dam was essential even if the second aluminium smelter did not proceed.” The article goes on to say: “Asked where the Government would get the electricity for the second smelter if the Clyde output was needed for the national grid, Mr Birch said that thermal stations in the North Island could bring extra capacity to the grid.’’ It was therefore something of a surprise to read, further down in the same article, Mr Birch say that the smelter “was still a robust venture, and powerprice negotiations with South Pacific Aluminium are being conducted 'on the basis that power from the dam will be made available to it.” Seriously, exactly why do we need the Clyde dam?—Yours, etc., M. J. UNWIN. May 15, 1982.

Sir, — Perhaps half, or a little less, of the money that the Government (and therefore the tax-payer) pays to the consortium for the Clyde dam, will leave New Zealand. The sl4’ million extra that the Government claims it would cost for- the dam to be constructed by the Ministry of Works would stay in New Zealand. If the Ministry of Works built the dam the Government would not be forced to pay redundancy and dole money to people who would lose their jobs. I know of a New Zealandinvented power generating system which could make the Clyde dam construction unnecessary — but members of the Government do not believe, or do not want to believe, that New Zealanders have any technological abilities, so they import outsiders. — Yours, etc., G. K. MURROW. May 15, 1982.

Sir,—l am appalled that the Government wants to circumvent the High Court ruling on the Clyde dam. As part-justifi-cation, Mr Birch claims that

pressure groups are cleverly using the courts to delay projects. However, most of the delays with Clyde have been caused by the Government. The commissioning date was postponed a total of right years in 1978 and 1979 when it was found estime' .s of future electricity neeo were excessive. Only when the second smelter was mooted was the date advanced. Furthermore, the Crown itself delayed the original Planning Tribunal hearing until after the 1980 energy plan was published, since this plan (with the second smelter) strengthened the Crown’s own case. The Government claims that Clyde power is needed now even without the second smelter. I believe it is afraid to let the case go back to the tribunal because this will be shown to be false.—Yours, etc., D. L. JACKSON. May 15, 1982.