Power flow deemed most important

Electricity generation is more important than pollution concerns in Christchurch in the circumstance of imminent power cuts, the Environment Court has decided.

The court has ordered Environment Canterbury (ECan) to change part of its proposed Canterbury Natural Resources Regional Plan (NRRP) to reflect the need to keep power flowing in the city at all times. The Christchurch City Council, Christchurch International Airport Ltd, Lyttelton Port of Christchurch, Canterbury Meat Packers, Transform Minerals, Rangitata Diversion Race Management and power companies Orion New Zealand, Meridian Energy and TrustPower signed a memorandum requesting the judgment.

Judge Jane Borthwick said the decision related to the need to use internal combustion for emergency power generation inside the city's clean-air zone.

The NRRP will enable the use of internal combustion generators "during times of imminent or actual electricity supply emergency".

The effects of using generators had to be appropriately controlled, the judgment said.

"Within the Christchurch clean-air zones 1 and 2, the control of PM10 emissions from the use of this equipment is particularly important, it said.

"When the electricity supply is not available, disruption in that supply is imminent or the emergency zone derived by the Electricity Commission is reached, the need for electricity outweighs any potential effect of the discharges from the generators."

Implementing the revised policy would require fuel generators to meet emission standards that were tougher than those in place in existing resource consents, the decision said.

- © Fairfax NZ News