Independence for electricity commission demanded

Former Electricity Commission chairman Roy Hemmingway says any authority that replaces the commission has to be more independent.

The ministerial review proposes axing the commission in favour of an Electricity Market Authority with different powers.

Some roles would be transferred to state-owned national grid company Transpower and to the Commerce Commission.

Hemmingway, now an energy consultant in Portland, Oregon, said the review's plans for the commission were "a hodge-podge of ideas, most of which have been around for a while".

"Some are good, some are awful," he said.

The writing has been on the wall for the commission since Gerry Brownlee became Energy and Resources Minister late last year.

Hemmingway clashed with former Transpower chief executive Ralph Craven and former Labour energy minister David Parker and left after only three years, accusing the Labour government of meddling and not allowing the commission to be as independent as it was set up to be.

Hemmingway said yesterday that the review reshuffled a lot of responsibilities but disguised the fact there was not much change that would bring down costs for consumers.

"The question is whether there is any benefit in all this organisational change. I doubt it," he said.

Christchurch electricity consultant John Noble supported disestablishing the commission. "It was padded with government lackeys and is even more so now."

- © Fairfax NZ News