GENERAL: CEN: CEN welcomes decision to refer Tauhara to Board of Inquiry

23 Mar 2010 4:12 pm

CEN 23/03/2010 GENERAL

REL: 1612 HRS Contact Energy Limited

GENERAL: CEN: CEN welcomes decision to refer Tauhara to Board of Inquiry

23 March 2010

CONTACT WELCOMES DECISION TO REFER TAUHARA GEOTHERMAL POWER STATION TO A BOARD OF INQUIRY

Contact Energy today said it welcomed the Environment Minister's decision to refer the company's resource consent application for its proposed Tauhara geothermal power station (Tauhara 2) to a Board of Inquiry for decision.

Tauhara 2 is a 250 megawatt geothermal power station which will be located on the Tauhara geothermal steamfield, north-east of the Taupo township. The power station represents around $1 billion of investment in the Taupo region and will produce enough renewable electricity to power around 250,000 average homes.

Contact Managing Director David Baldwin said the decision to have the application heard by an independent Board of Inquiry under the Resource Management Act's new nine month timeframe recognised the national significance of the project and the contribution it will make to a secure, renewable electricity supply for New Zealand.

Mr Baldwin said if New Zealand was to increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources, it was important that major electricity generation projects were able to be consented and constructed in a timely fashion.

Tauhara 2 will follow Contact's first stage of development of the Tauhara steam field, a $100 million, 23 megawatt geothermal binary power station in the advanced stages of commissioning. Contact is one of New Zealand's leading geothermal generators and operates the Wairakei, Ohaaki and Poihipi Road geothermal power stations.

Louise Griffin Communications Advisor 04 462 1567 021 243 1442

Background:

Contact lodged resource consent applications for the Tauhara 2 geothermal power station on 19 February with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA reviewed the applications and made its recommendation to the Minister for the Environment that he direct that the applications be referred to a Board of Inquiry for decision. End CA:00192830 For:CEN Type:GENERAL Time:2010-03-23:16:12:53

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