Contact Energy's Lake Hawea dam structure, earmarked for a
small power plant. Photo by Matthew Haggart.
Contact Energy says plans to generate power at the Lake
Hawea outlet are not on the backburner while it pursues larger
hydro-electricity developments on the Clutha River.
The power company was granted resource consents two years ago
to install a pair of turbine generators at the Lake Hawea dam
- which is used as a storage release system to control
downstream flows to Contact's Clutha River hydro scheme.
The planned Lake Hawea hydro-electric scheme would be capable
of producing about 17MW of electricity - enough to power
about 4000, or half, of the Upper Clutha's residential
households, Contact spokesman Jonathon Hill said.
Contact Energy's hydro development manager Neil Gillespie
said "uncertain time-frames" existed about when installation
of the planned hydro-electric generators will begin.
Technical design and engineering plans were still being
worked on.
"It has taken some time, but it is a very complex project
which we need to get right," he said.
The Hawea generation scheme is "a completely separate
project" from existing consultation with Clutha River
communities about potential hydro-electric dams.
"Neither one has a priority over the other," Mr Gillespie
said.
Contact was working towards finalising design plans for the
Hawea turbine generators, before a decision would be made
about the "right time" to start construction, he said.
Contact has separate resource consents from the Queenstown
Lakes District Council and Otago Regional Council for the
installation of the turbines.
The QLDC consent must be exercised within five years, while
the ORC consents last until November 2017.
Contact also has the right to apply for renewal of the
resource consents.
Contact Energy will hold a workshop with Clutha District
Council staff and councillors today as the company increases
consultation over building up to four dams on the Clutha
River.
The power company has devoted 2009 to talking to affected
communities about plans to revisit the chances of building
hydro-electric dams at Queensberry, Luggate, Beaumont and
Tuapeka Mouth.
Mr Gillespie will hold a workshop with council officials this
morning but the event is unlikely to yield any new
information.
He said the council workshop was one way it could engage with
communities.
It was also open to meeting other groups in areas that could
potentially be affected if any of the dams gain approval.
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