Ways to bypass pylons outlined

Roy Hemmingway says the Government will have to look at increased generation. Picture / Amos Chapple

The Electricity Commission has released a list of alternatives to Transpower's proposed 400kV line upgrade.

Yesterday, at the first of a round of six meetings, Electricity Commissioner Roy Hemmingway said it was time to look at both transmission and generation options to fix Auckland's power woes.

Transpower plans to build pylons, up to 70m high, carrying 400kV, across the central North Island from Whakamaru to Otahuhu. The plan has met with violent opposition from affected landowners who say the pylons will reduce land values, impede farming practice and endanger the health of people living near them.

The Electricity Commission was asked to investigate alternatives to the proposal and received 135 submissions.

In Tokoroa yesterday, Mr Hemmingway presented alternatives that, if feasible, could be implemented within five years.

The options include undergrounding part of the line, looking at increasing the amount of power carried on the existing 220kV and 110kV lines and looking at high-voltage direct-current lines, which would reduce the size of the pylons needed and were easier to place underground.

Mr Hemmingway also outlined generation options closer to Auckland, including a 385MW generator at Rodney, a 400MW combined-cycle gas turbine at Otahuhu or generators in Auckland.

Mr Hemmingway said little electricity was generated around Auckland.

Generation was something the incoming Government was going to have to address within the next six months, with better planning needed on how the country was going to manage its power demands in the future.

Other options to be looked at included wind generation and coal and gas-based generation.

Mr Hemmingway said energy efficiency was an option, but not one that would have any great effect by 2020.

He said when the electricity industry in New Zealand was restructured it was predicted that market forces would sort out demand and supply. However, after going from a "monolithic structure" to a deregulated market people still did not understand the true cost of electricity.

"To me efficiency is all about economics," he said. "It's all about doing things as cheaply as you can."

Alternatives that were feasible within 10 to 20 years were also outlined.

The commission is expected to publish its assessment of the alternatives in November, followed by another round of meetings.

It will make its final decision on the planned grid upgrade around April next year.