Power planning key to future

The country’s largest union has welcomed the Government’s acknowledgment that fossil fuels will play a part in New Zealand’s future electricity generation – but is concerned that it is still relying on the market to control the supply.

“The market has already failed us,” said EPMU national secretary Andrew Little. “Perhaps we just have to accept that in an economy this size, we have to plan our power supply and use.”

The union has several times raised concerns with the Government about the perilous state of New Zealand’s electricity supply system.

“We are seeing factories cut production and workers lose wages because the market has been unable to ensure a reliable, efficient, affordable supply of power in a country blessed with natural sources of energy,” Mr Little said.

The Government today announced plans for a back-up electricity generation, using fossil fuels such as oil and coal, but said that it would be subject to market controls.

Mr Little said that the union would raise its concerns with Energy Minister Pete Hodgson.

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