Tuesday 4 July 2017

Hydro levels drop in unacknowledged winter drought

This Pravda-like report from Radio NZ (“Pravda-on-the -Terrace”) barely HINTS at a problem that is only going to get worse. 

I have noticed that Wellington has not really recovered from its droughts during the winter. This is confirmed by a friend having to get in water delivered to his rural property in early winter as well as an informal report pf low water table in Nelson.

Meanwhile, we are never going to be told the truth about the destruction of the Waiwhetu aqufer, probably by the building industry.

Five years ago I would have described you as mad if you had said the capital has a water problem.

Meanwhile no media in this country is going to tell the truth about this. In this context anecdote is inavaluable. 

Give me your stories.




Fossil fuel use doubles as hydro lake levels drop

New Zealand has doubled the amount of fossil fuel it uses to make electricity, new figures show.
Genesis Energy's Huntly Power Station.Genesis Energy's Huntly Power Station. Photo: Genesis Energy
3 July, 2017
Figures from Transpower show 27.85 percent of New Zealand's electricity has been generated by burning coal or gas during the past week.

That's up from an average of 13.11 percent over the past 52 weeks.

The power is being generated mainly at Huntly, and also at Stratford, Taranaki.
Low water levels in South Island hydro lakes have meant hydro's share of generation has fallen from 65.56 percent over the past year, to 51.3 percent in the past week.

Inflows into South Island hydro lakes have been declining since March.

Transpower, which oversees the technicalities of the electricity system as well as running the national grid, has put New Zealand's electricity supply on "watch", one level above "normal', but below "alert" and "emergency".

But it has repeatedly said it does not expect the country to run out of power.

From 20 June



The much-criticised coal industry is making a minor comeback in New Zealand as dry weather deprives hydro dams of water in the South Island.

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