Contact’s Manawa play: genius move or political hard-sell?

Contact Energy’s chief executive, Mike Fuge. (Image: Supplied)

Thu, 12 Sep 2024

Contact Energy can – and will – argue till it’s blue in the face that taking over Manawa Energy makes commercial sense and will improve the company’s ability to provide secure, affordable electricity.This, after all, is what New Zealand clearly needs more of.However, the optics and timing are dangerous at a time when the electricity sector is under such extraordinary political pressure.To the lay observer, including Resources Minister Shane Jones, who this week described the generator-retailers as “lying dogs&rdquo...

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