Meridian's Binns hopeful of keeping smelter contract

Meridian's Binns hopeful of keeping smelter contract
By Paul McBeth Feb. 18 (BusinessDesk) - Meridian Energy chief executive Mark Binns is hopeful of retaining the Tiwai Point smelter as a customer, but acknowledged there's still some uncertainty with New Zealand Aluminium Smelter's contract open to termination this year. The Wellington-based electricity generator-retailer supplies electricity to the New Zealand Aluminium Smelters, majority-owned by Rio Tinto, which consumes about one-seventh of the nation’s electricity. It renegotiated the contract in 2013 when Rio Tinto threatened closure...