Mr Eckhoff said the decision by the court to decline consents for Meridian Energy's planned $2 billion wind farm would have a major impact, especially on people with low and fixed incomes.
"I think we can look forward to dramatic price rises for power and power shortages. As the economy starts to recover, so too will demand for electricity and only small power schemes are being built.
"Those won't offset the need for electricity generation, especially during spring and peak times."
"We've only got to get a drought and force spot prices for electricity up dramatically and that will affect everyone, especially low and fixed-income people in Central Otago."
The "nationally important decision" on whether the project should go ahead had been made by non-elected people, he said.
"Local body politicians and central government politicians know they can be voted out of power if people aren't happy with their performance."
Mr Eckhoff also criticised the rise of "personality endorsements" in this situation.
"You get the situation where highly articulate people are getting prominence with their views [opposing the wind farm]. The average person finds it a bit daunting to appear before the Environment Court and make their views known."
The upshot of the court decision might be the pendulum swinging the opposite way and the Government being forced to legislate for "inappropriate developments", he said.
"We could be forced into having coal-fired power stations, when this renewable, clean resource [wind] could have been used."
The decision was flawed, and if Central Otago wanted progress it had to be sensible and use resources sustainably.
"That's what this wind farm project was all about. The outlook is bleak."
