A road has been cut in anticipation of a drilling project
to investigate whether a hydro-electric dam could be sited
on the Clutha River near Luggate. Photo by Matthew Haggart.
The start of a drilling project to investigate whether
ground near Luggate is capable of supporting a hydro-electric
dam on the Clutha River has been rescheduled.
Contact Energy is carrying out the investigative drilling as
part of four options being considered for possible
hydro-electric schemes on the Clutha River.
A drilling rig had been scheduled to move in yesterday.
Contact's Clutha hydro project manager Neil Gillespie said a
"moving target" for the commencement of the drilling project
had changed.
The drilling rig contractor has been held up at another site
in Central Otago and would start near Luggate once its
commitments were completed elsewhere, he said.
An access road has been cleared for the drilling rig, which
will work at a site upstream from the distinctive switchback
river feature known as the Devil's Nook.
The geotechnical investigation and drilling programme near
Luggate does not indicate the site is a preferred option for
Contact to build a dam there, Mr Gillespie said.
Other possible Clutha River hydro dam options at Queensberry,
Beaumont, and Tuapeka Mouth are at more advanced stages of
geotechnical investigation, Mr Gillespie has said.
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