Pylons protest leader wants deal

The man leading opposition to Transpower's pylon plan through the Waikato has called for a joint working party to broker a deal.

New Era Energy chairman David Graham said both Transpower and opponents were entrenched in their positions and some sort of joint forum was needed to get any progress.

Transpower has responded by suggesting the Electricity Commission could set up a steering committee. It is the commission which will ultimately decide if Transpower's proposal to build a 400kV line from Otahuhu to Whakamaru goes ahead.

The transmission line, including pylons up to 70m high, caused angry protests recently at consultation meetings at Tirau, Matamata and Morrinsville.

Mr Graham said he attended last weekend's National Power New Zealand Conference in Auckland and was impressed by a speech by World Energy Council chairman Gerald Doucet.

"His comments were that many countries around the world had gone to a market approach for the electricity industry and were finding it wasn't working perfectly. He wasn't advising that we go back to being State-owned but to set up a system in which you still get some leadership from Government."

Mr Graham said Australia's Bass Strait transmission line between Victoria and Tasmania was an example in which a Government-led steering committee with representatives from all sides worked through a project.

"I think that's where we are now. Transpower is at one end of the argument and we are the other. If we work together and get some help we have a better chance of getting the right answer for the country," he said.

"It would be a positive thing rather than having a five-year stand-off," he said.

He suggested a joint committee could be chaired by Energy Minister Trevor Mallard.

Transpower communications manager Chris Roberts suggested the Electricity Commission would be the logical organisation to lead a steering committee. Mr Graham should put the idea to the commission. He suggested it may help the commission's decision-making process.

- NZPA