Green light for wind farm

Hawkes Bay-based electricity distributor Unison has been given Commerce Commission approval to invest in a wind farm.

Under present legislation, electricity lines companies are required to operate at arm's length from suppliers.

The commission ruled the Unison case was an exception because the proposed wind farm was a joint venture with Hydro Tasmania. Commission chairwoman Paula Rebstock said Unison would not supply electricity from the wind farm to customers connected to its own network - thus satisfying the arm's-length clause.