Electricity Authority clears tweak to smelter power deal

The Electricity Authority (EA) cleared an application for Meridian Energy to cut back its supply of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter to reduce pressure on the system. The companies signed the demand response agreement in April which gives Meridian the ability to require the smelter to reduce consumption by up to 50 megawatts – roughly the same amount consumed by 50,000 homes – when there might be pressure in the system, such as low hydro lake levels, for 2023 and 2024.Meridian will compensate NZ Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) if it...