Contact welcomes resolution of Clutha consents

28 May 2007

Contact welcomes resolution of Clutha consents

Contact Energy welcomed the resolution of Environment Court proceedings into the company’s operation of its Hawea, Roxburgh and Clyde hydro dams following the Court’s release of its final decision today confirming the conditions of consent for a further 35 years.

This decision ends a formal process which began in 2003 when resource consents were granted by the Otago Regional Council, which included specific flood mitigation activities.

On appeal the Environment Court changed this approach to suggest that Contact should instead provide compensation to people whose properties are damaged by flooding as a result of its operations between the Clyde and Roxburgh Dams.

Contact Energy Chief Executive, David Baldwin, said Contact supported the Environment Court’s proposed compensation regime, given its alignment with Contact’s commitment to protect property owners between the two dams.

“Contact offered, and the Environment Court has confirmed, consent conditions which hold the company responsible for compensation – for damage to dwellings, commercial premises and all other property - if Contact’s operations cause or contribute to flooding.

“Contact has also taken responsibility for the maintenance and operation of the Alexandra floodbanks, and has undertaken to flush sediments when high river flows allow from behind the Roxburgh Dam and to develop a sediment management plan for the Clyde Dam,” he said.

“Flushing of sediment from behind the Roxburgh Dam was last undertaken in November and December 2006 during a period of high inflows,” said Mr Baldwin.

“These consent conditions confirmed by the Environment Court provide protection for communities along the Clutha River / Mata-au and represent Contact’s strong commitment to these communities.

“The Environment Court decision recognises the importance of Contact’s Hawea, Clyde and Roxburgh dams in providing New Zealand with large amounts of renewable energy, and also our obligations to communities close to these assets,” he said.

“This is a good outcome for Contact and a good outcome for property owners on this stretch of the Clutha River / Mata-au.”

Mr Baldwin said while he fully supported the right of local communities to have their interests represented under the Resource Management Act, the process had taken too long.

“It has taken four years since these consents were granted, and over six years since the consent application was first lodged, until they were finally confirmed today, and that has been a period of uncertainty both for Contact and people along the Clutha River / Mata-au.”

ENDS

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