Source: Radio New Zealand
The Morgan Gorge. Neil Silverwood
Outdoors and environmental groups are calling on a fast-track panel to decline a controversial West Coast hydro proposal.
Westpower Limited have draft approval to build the $200 million Waitaha hydro scheme on conservation land between Hokitika and Franz Josef Glacier.
The plan is to build a weir to divert water through a tunnel to generate 23 megawatts of power, enough to power the equivalent of about 12,000 homes.
Westpower said it would improve the resilience of electricity supply on the West Coast and contribute to New Zealand’s climate change commitments.
Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC), Forest and Bird, Greenpeace, the Canyoning Association, the Buller Tramping Club and former Whitewater NZ President Kev England were critical of the project.
They had signed an open letter calling on the panel to reconsider its draft decision.
FMC president Megan Dimozantos said the project would destroy a unique wilderness area.
“If this goes ahead the river will be reduced to little more than a residual flow causing permanent and significant damage to both its recreational and ecological values,” she said.
“We recognise that renewable generation is important but not at the expense of one of the country’s last untouched pristine wild river gorges.”
Federated Mountain Clubs said it could not make a submission to the fast-track expert panel on the proposal.
“FMC requested to comment on the proposal. We also wrote to the panel directly. Ultimately we’ve been ignored. The hundreds of recreational users who visit the area every year have been ignored,” Dimozantos said.
“The panel itself acknowledged the significant effects the scheme will have on the Morgan Gorge and Kiwi Flat even after all mitigation measures are in place.”
The scheme was previously declined in 2019 by then-Environment Minister David Parker.
Westpower said it welcomed the panel’s draft approval when it was announced in March.
“We are encouraged to see the Waitaha Hydro Project move forward. This is a major step for renewable energy in the region and New Zealand. We are committed to progressing responsibly, in partnership with Poutini Ngāi Tahu and our local communities,” Westpower chief executive Peter Armstrong said, at the time.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand