City takes a dim view and saves

By PAULA OLIVER

Auckland's tallest structures are leading the way in the challenge to switch off.

Photographs of the skyline this week and last show the city's trademark skyscrapers - the ANZ Tower, Sky Tower and Royal & SunAlliance Centre - eerily vanishing into darkness as their rooftop lights are extinguished.

Clearly their efforts are not being matched by all.

But after a slow start, the Auckland and Northland region's power savings are edging up - reaching 15.5 per cent on Tuesday and 14.4 per cent on Wednesday.

Rural areas of the region are proving consistent savers.

Aucklanders showed how strongly they have adopted the saving mentality when the Sky Tower dared to turn its lights back on this week. Though they were powered by a diesel generator and were on for only an hour, the move was noticed.

Nationally, the message is also catching on. Savings have hovered at or above the 10 per cent target for most of the week, with the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and King Country regions way out in front at 25 per cent.

But the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority says much more can be done. Far too many Auckland businesses are not trying hard enough to save electricity.

"Some aren't making any effort," says the authority's chief executive, Heather Staley.

"Just glance around the city skyline at night and count the number of buildings with floor lights blazing after hours and neon signs still on."

Patrick Strange, chief executive of Auckland electricity lines company Vector, says building lights can guzzle enough power to supply several homes - and as much as 40 per cent of a four-storey building's electricity use.

Hydro storage lakes are now at levels below those of the same time in 1992 - the last time the country suffered rolling blackouts.

That year, the lakes reached their lowest point in June and July, but were picking up by August.

Inflow to the lakes is still below average, and a spokesman for Energy Minister Pete Hodgson this week reiterated that blackouts would be the cost of not saving 10 per cent for 10 weeks.

Mr Hodgson's deadline will be up in 57 days.

Feature: Electricity

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority