Gerry Brownlee MP National Party Energy Spokesman

4 April 2008

Labour contradictory on thermal power ban

National Party Energy spokesman Gerry Brownlee says David Parker needs to explain why he is allowing a state-owned energy generator to proceed with plans for a new gas-fired power station in light of his much-hyped thermal ban.

"How did shareholding Ministers approve this move by Genesis, knowing that Government policy is a ban on thermal generation, or do they now accept that without thermal generation security of supply will be put at risk?"

Mr Brownlee is referring to the public notification for Genesis Energy Rodney Power Station which was published in the New Zealand Herald yesterday.

"Labour has announced a thermal ban and is progressing legislation right now to put that into law.

"The law will ban thermal unless required for security of supply. Mr Parker needs to explain.

"This would appear to make a mockery of the ban, particularly when Labour is progressing an emissions trading scheme.

"Labour has been good at talking the talk, but its record shows that 74% of new generation has been thermal."

Mr Brownlee says he has three questions for the Energy Minister.

1 - Why did shareholding ministers approve the public notification of this new station? 2 - Is the thermal ban real or just spin? 3 - Is the renewables target serious, or just the sort of thing Labour talks about and doesn't bother to act on?

ENDS

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