Mokihinui River Sacrificed for Unnecessary Electricity

Today the West Coast Regional Council released their decision on Meridian Energy's Resource Consent Application to dam the Mokihinui.

Meridian have been granted their consent in a split decision from the Commissioners, 2:1.

Meridian's dam, an 80m high monstrosity, will create a 14km long lake, inundating over 330 hectares of virgin native forest. The Mokihinui hydro scheme is the largest scale proposed flooding of public conservation land in New Zealand since the Manapouri scheme of the late 1960s and early 1970s. If constructed, it will be the
largest inundation for hydroelectric generation purposes of lands and ecosystems set aside for protection and conservation ever seen in New Zealand.

The decision has been widely criticised - see the related news items on the right. The Wild Rivers Campaign organisations are considering their options in terms of an appeal.

The decision is a large document, around 330 pages, and can be downloaded here.

The Mokihinui Dam is completely unnecessary. Two recently consented hydro schemes on the West Coast - the Stockton Plateau scheme and the Dobson scheme, provide more than enough electricity to meet the West Coast's needs. Supplying reliable electricity to the region was a key platform of Meridian during the Consent hearing, and one of the key reasons for approving the scheme.

We will, very soon, post actions that you can take to fight this scheme. Keep watching this space.