Geothermal cuts urged

Press, 28 August 1982, Page 6

Geothermal cuts urged

PA Wellington The use of steam and hot water from the famed Whakarewarewa geothermal ’ reserve should be reduced and the monitoring programme continued “with haste.” a report said yesterday, amid fears that the'field was drying up. In late July the natural outflow from the Parekohuru Spring on the Rotorua field had diminished to a trickle and a significant decline of geothermal activity was noticed. The report, by the Ministry of Energy, accepted tha’t there had been a general decline in geothermal activity in the area. It said that while climatic conditions could have contributed — the area has had the lowest rainfall this year since 1966 — this could' not account completely for the decline in activity. It urged that attention be focused on minimising wasted energy in the entire Rotorua region, that new' drilling be banned, that wells not required be closed and that output be restricted to those still used. The report said the field should be controlled by one authority. The Government now runs part of it and the Rotorua District Council the rest.

Meters should be installed where practicable to measure the energy taken by the users, and should be paid for by the users.

The report said that if “sufficient effort” were made, existing users would not have to be significantly

inconvenienced. The Minister of Energy, Mr Birch, said in a covering statement when releasing the report that its recommendations would be discussed with the Rotorua District Council and other interested parties before any decision was taken.