Unfair Regions Bear Burden Of Power Price Changes
Fletcher Tabuteau MP
New Zealand First
Spokesperson for Energy
16 MAY 2016
Unfair Regions Bear Burden Of Power Price
Changes
It’s unacceptable Regional New Zealand is likely to be on the sharp end of the Electricity Authority’s proposed price changes for getting electricity from the national grid, says New Zealand First.
“Northland and the West Coast (South Island) are expected to be the big losers while the Tiwai Point smelter in Southland stands to benefit by more than $50 million and Meridian will get a similar amount also,” says New Zealand First’s Energy Spokesperson Fletcher Tabuteau.
“The government needs to decide if it wants to help Northland and the West Coast, or sabotage them.
“If the authority is serious about smoothing transmission line costs, then the answer is obvious, and that’s to use the $194m plus in profits generated by Transpower itself.
“It is totally wrong to expect Northland and the West Coast to bear the burden of poor infrastructure decisions,” Mr Tabuteau says.
Note for Editors: The Electricity Authority says it will release its transmission pricing methodology paper on Tuesday, May 17, and run an eight-week consultation.
ENDS