Solid Energy has been granted resource consent to build and operate a hydro-electricity generation system off the Stockton Plateau. The scheme is adjacent to the company's mining operations and would produce 176 GWh of renewable electricity a year, sufficient to power 22,000 homes and enabling the West Coast region to become a net exporter of electricity.
The scheme would benefit the region through both security of supply and efficiency — being closer to the point of generation means fewer transmission losses which should result in lower prices for West Coast consumers. The proposal fits neatly into the environment, reduces the likelihood of flooding in the Hector township and will further improve the water quality in the Ngakawau River above the improvements already coming from Solid Energy's extensive water quality programme at Stockton.
