Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods expects Lake Onslow will contribute to NZ’s 100 per cent renewable energy system.
MBIE has spent over $8m on the feasibility study of pumped hydro at Lake Onslow. If the scheme proceeds, it will be NZ’s largest hydro project ever and will cost over $4 billion.
Trade-off information has been redacted in a newly released report “in accordance with MBIE’s policy on ‘proactive release’” and as “confidential information entrusted to the government”.
The lake has cultural, social and landscape importance, and the report claims this scheme will “create a visual impact on the naturalness and uniqueness of the Lake Onslow landscape”. Yet details of consultation with mana whenua (and others) have also not been disclosed.
Read more here. Discuss it on The BFD.