Boost to new electricity generation

United Future energy spokesperson Gordon Copeland is delighted he’s been able to persuade the Government to get in behind greater efforts to encourage new investment in electricity generation.

The Government has decided to allow electricity lines companies to get back into non-renewable generation projects of up to 50 megawatts.

“Government originally announced that they would be prepared to lift the limit from 5 megawatts to 25 megawatts but I put it to Energy Minister Pete Hodgson in the House that he should be prepared to go further.

“New Zealand needs all the new generation capacity it can get and the 25 megawatt limit was simply too small to encourage new investment.

“On the spot, the Minister agreed to double the figure from 25 to 50 megawatts.

“Naturally I am well pleased with that outcome,” said Mr Copeland.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>