Power supply at risk as farmers' dispute continues

File photo / Mark Mitchell

Electricity supply to Christchurch remains at risk with farmers' threats to block critical maintenance on power pylons still unresolved after a meeting this morning.

Five days remain until the South Canterbury farmers' deadline to lock out Transpower unless it agrees to pay compensation for four years' work upgrading pylons.

Transpower and Federated Farmers met this morning for ongoing discussions about compensation.

Transpower spokeswoman Rebecca Wilson said the maintenance that had to be done on South Canterbury farmers' properties was "critical".

Power supply to Christchurch could be affected without it, she said.

"It's certainly a risk for us. We would like to get on as quickly as possible," Ms Wilson said.

"You never say never in the power business. But there are alternative supplies from the south."

But there had been no urgency at this morning's meeting, which was just routine, she said.

"I would think the situation hasn't changed much."

Transpower would get back to farmers within the week, she said.

Federated Farmers electricity spokesman Philip York said the South Canterbury farmers were worried they would be ignored once upgrades were completed.

Today Transpower had assured him this would not be the case, Mr York said.

But unrest was growing among farmers throughout the country because they received no annual payments for hosting power lines, he said.

"There's a lot of people out there just under the radar concerned that they haven't been paid."

Up to 40 per cent of farmers had not been paid at all, he said.

But Federated Farmers could not support the illegal obstructions proposed by South Canterbury farmers. Fair payments made more sense than arrests and disputes in the Environment Court, Mr York said.

"It seems strange to incur legal and other costs that could end up being more than an annual rental, let alone seeing police called away from more important duties.

"To my mind annual payments would turn something that is a disbenefit to farm operations into a benefit. Instead of farmers begrudging pylons, they would farm them for their economic worth."