Electricity Generation Down in June Quarter

Electricity Generation Down in June Quarter

Seasonally adjusted electricity generation decreased 4.3 percent in the June 2003 quarter compared with the March 2003 quarter, according to Statistics New Zealand. During the June 2003 quarter, national savings of electricity consumption were requested by the Government.

In the June 2003 quarter, hydro generation was 5,009 gigawatt hours, 3.7 percent lower than in the June 2002 quarter. This was the lowest level of hydro generation in a June quarter since 1992. Thermal generation of 3,785 gigawatt hours was 5.8 percent lower in the June 2003 quarter than in the June 2002 quarter.

Hydro generation supplied 57 percent of the electricity generated in the June 2003 quarter. Over the past 10 years, the June quarterly average contribution of hydro generation to the total electricity generated has been 65 percent. In the last three years, however, the contribution of hydro generation in each June quarter has been below the 60 percent level.

Gas production was 31 percent lower in the June 2003 quarter than in the June 2002 quarter. Gas is a leading source of thermal energy for electricity generation. Gas production was 219,000 terajoules in the year ended June 2003, down 15.3 percent when compared with the year ended June 2002. The highest level of gas produced in a June year was achieved in the year ended June 2002.

Production of crude petroleum was 1.0 million tonnes in the year ended June 2003, a fall of 6.5 percent compared with the year ended June 2002. The volume of crude petroleum produced was 45 percent lower than in the year ended June 1994, when production peaked at 1.9 million tonnes.

In the June 2003 quarter, deliveries of petrol (597,000 tonnes) and diesel (570,000 tonnes) to resellers and direct to industry were 3.0 percent and 6.1 percent higher respectively than in the June 2002 quarter. The total volume of petrol delivered in the year ended June 2003 was 2.4 million tonnes, 7.9 percent higher than in the year ended June 2002. Deliveries of regular petrol (91 octane or less) totalled 1.9 million tonnes, an increase of 8.1 percent compared with the year ended June 2002. Regular petrol accounted for 78 percent of the total volume of petrol delivered in the year ended June 2003.

Deliveries of diesel in the June 2003 year amounted to 2.3 million tonnes, 9.3 percent higher than in the June 2002 year.

Ian Ewing

Acting Government Statistician

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