Contact told windfarm may face 'insurmountable' consenting issues

Contact told windfarm may face 'insurmountable' consenting issues
Contact says its planned Southland windfarm is needed. (Image: NZME)
Ian Llewellyn
Consenting officials have told Contact Energy that its plan to build a 55-turbine windfarm in Southland may face “insurmountable difficulties” or need to be cut back in size to get approval.The consent is for a windfarm generating about 300 megawatts (MW) through the turbines, each generating up to 7MW from their blades with a tip height of 220 metres.The wind farm was opposed by the West Catlins Preservation Society, which says Slopedown, where the proposed farm would be located, was an outstanding natural landscape that could be s...

More Policy

The cost of over-regulated banking: $10b to $14.4b a year
Finance

The cost of over-regulated banking: $10b to $14.4b a year

Critics claim a huge annual cost from 30 years of regulatory creep.

Fast-track panels not out of blocks yet
Policy

Fast-track panels not out of blocks yet

The first three projects to go through the process are still waiting on panels.

Oliver Lewis 10 Apr 2025
'The Great Privatisation': a NZ perspective
Economy

'The Great Privatisation': a NZ perspective

KPMG partner sees value in considering asset recycling to fund new infrastructure.

Oliver Lewis 09 Apr 2025
Airfare reporting not ready for takeoff
Policy

Airfare reporting not ready for takeoff

Airport group says transparency measure should have a chilling effect on fares.

Oliver Lewis 09 Apr 2025