Oct 14 2010
Contact Energy is continuing its efforts towards resuming its bid for the consent towards setting up a wind farm in New Zealand. The company is now appealing against the decision of the commissioners last year in declining consent to its 156 MW Waitahora wind farm located in the Puketoi range adjacent to Dannevirke.
The appeal hearing, expected to go on for a period of two weeks, has already begun in the Hastings Environment Court. In an effort towards reducing environmental effects as well as addressing the concerns of the local residents, Contact Energy has gone ahead and refined this wind energy project during the past 18 months. As per the original proposal, the wind energy project would have hosted 65 units of the 150m-high wind turbines and also would have produced enough electricity for powering 86,000 homes, approximately.
Radio NZ has reported that due to changes in the project’s design, that includes removing seven wind turbines, subject to certain conditions inspite of the continued opposition for the project from Waitahora-Puketoi Guardian Society, both the Manawatu-Whanganui and the Tararua councils are now supporting this wind energy project. The modified project is expected to cost $400 million and will be producing enough electricity for powering approximately 70,000 homes. Matt Casey QC, Contact Energy’s Lawyer, has argued that this wind farm’s adverse effects will be totally outweighed by its significant positive benefits, both at the regional as well as the national level in New Zealand.