Public given more time on Marsden B

The time for making public submissions on a plan to refire Marsden B power station using coal has been doubled.

State-owned company Mighty River Power has applied to the Northland Regional Council and Whangarei District Council for resource consent to refire the Marsden B power station to run on coal.

Such applications are normally open for public submissions for 20 days after public notification.

However, NRC consents manager Dave Roke said the submission timeframe for the Marsden B application had been extended to 40 working days. With the application likely to be publicly notified on December 8, submissions would close on February 24, Mr Roke said.

This was to take into account the public holiday period over Christmas and New Year and to give residents the chance to consider their submissions over the holiday period.

Up to 35,000 tonnes of coal could be carried along a 3km conveyor belt beside Marsden Pt Rd every two weeks if the station is refired.

Mighty River has applied to construct, upgrade and maintain a coal-fired plant, including the conveyance of coal from Northport (the deep water port at Marsden Pt) to the power station, the storage and handling of coal, and the transportation and disposal of ash and other byproducts and hazardous substances.

- NZPA