February 20, 2008
New Zealand
New Zealand
Wel Networks reckons the commercial success, or otherwise, of its proposed Te Uku wind farm is irrelevant in considering the project’s merits at a Resource Management Act hearing.
Wel’s application for the 28-turbine wind farm resumed in fractious circumstances in Ngaruawahia yesterday after a 212-month adjournment.
It started with two hours of legal wrangling after opposing submitters Sean Cox and Tui G (Te Uku Interest Group) unsuccessfully sought to further blow the hearing off course with calls for another adjournment, amid complaints of unfair processes and time schedules.
Wel counsel Simon Berry added to the flavour by announcing he had been instructed to advise Wel would not enter into further detailed analysis and debate in relation to material Mr Cox may produce over the next fortnight, calling him “a thoroughly unreliable witness” who “lacks any credibility”.
When the hearing finally got around to issues of substance, Mr Berry said Wel had earlier only presented evidence on project economics in order to demonstrate the importance of granting consent to all the turbines.
But he stressed project viability something a number of opposing submitters have questioned was not relevant in terms of the RMA.
By Bruce Holloway
20 February 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/02/20/heated-air-at-power-talks/