Wind farm put on hold

Contact Energy is putting the brakes on its planned $1.2 billion wind farm on the Waikato coast.

Last year the then Environment Minister, Trevor Mallard, "called in" Contact Energy's proposal for a 180-turbine wind farm near Raglan, meaning it would be considered by an independent board of inquiry.

Under the Resource Management Act, the minister can call in a proposal if it is deemed to be of national significance and direct that the matter is referred to either a board of inquiry or the Environment Court.

The board of inquiry hearing has been under way at the Te Akau Town Hall for two weeks now, but today Contact will seek permission to have the process adjourned for 12 months while it gathers more information.

There has been significant local opposition to the plan and opponents say they are likely to ask the National Government to revoke Contact's rights under the called in process.

They say Contact is in no hurry to complete the wind farm so it should go through the usual Resource Management Act process.

The Hauauru ma Raki wind farm is the largest project in a $3 billion Contact Energy investment programme aiming to build around 1400MW of new geothermal, wind, hydro and natural gas-fired electricity generation projects over the next five years.

The turbines would be built across the hills on the west coast between Raglan and Port Waikato.

The affected councils are Environment Waikato, Franklin District Council and Waikato District Council.