Fri, 25 June 2004

Auckland water company powers ahead with climate change initiative

Watercare awarded up to 10,829 carbon credits for power project.

Auckland water supply company, Watercare Services Limited, has been awarded up to 10,829 carbon credits, or emission units, under the government's Projects to Reduce Emissions programme.

Through the programme, carbon credits can be awarded to support projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions that would not otherwise go ahead.

Watercare's is one of 15 projects awarded credits in the initial round of the programme. A further six million credits were made available for a second round, to be run later this year, as part of Budget 2004.

Watercare's project will involve the installation of four megawatts of hydro energy generation turbines at the Upper Mangatawhiri, Wairoa and Crosseys dams in the Hunua Ranges and the Nihotupu bypass channel from a dam in the Waitakere Ranges.

Pete Hodgson, Convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change, announced the government support in Auckland today: "This scheme and others like it, make a very real contribution towards tackling climate change as well as making a small yet useful contribution towards our renewable energy base. From when it goes operational to the end of the first Kyoto commitment period in 2012, it has the potential to displace 13,140 tonnes of carbon dioxide. "

Turbines will be installed over four years, the first, at the Upper Mangatawhiri Dam, should be on stream late this year. Power from the scheme will be used at the dams for pumping and water treatment. Excess power will be fed into the national grid.

ENDS

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