North Bank tunnel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Bank tunnel project |
|
|---|---|
| Location | Waitaki River, New Zealand |
| Status | Proposed |
| Owner(s) | Meridian Energy |
The North Bank tunnel concept was a big plan for a hydropower project in New Zealand. It was going to be built by a company called Meridian Energy on the Waitaki River in the Canterbury Region. This project aimed to make more electricity using the power of water.
The project was expected to cost around $993 million. It was designed to produce an extra 1,100 to 1,400 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity each year. To do this, it would take up to 260 cubic meters of water per second from Lake Waitaki. However, building this new project would also mean the existing Waitaki hydro station would produce about 275 GWh less electricity each year.
Contents
Why the Project Stopped
Unexpected Problems
During the planning, engineers found some faultlines (cracks in the Earth's crust) in the area. These faultlines made the original plan for a tunnel more difficult. Because of this, the company started thinking about using a canal instead of a tunnel.
Project Suspension
In January 2013, work on the project was stopped. This happened because experts predicted that the demand for electricity would not grow much over the next five years. Since there wasn't an urgent need for more power, the project was put on hold.
This project was planned for a similar area to another big power proposal called Project Aqua. That project was also planned by Meridian Energy but was stopped in 2004.
Getting Permission to Build
Water Rights Process
To build a project like this, Meridian Energy needed special permission to use the water. In December 2008, a group called Environment Canterbury gave them permission to use the water.
Appeals and Court Decisions
However, some groups disagreed with this decision. These included Ngāi Tahu (a major Māori tribe), Ngāi Tahu Fishers People Inc, the Lower Waitaki River Management Society, and a local farmer named Garth Dovey. They appealed the decision, meaning they asked for it to be looked at again.
The appeals were heard in the Environment Court of New Zealand during June and July 2009. After these hearings, the court decided to grant the water rights to Meridian Energy in September 2009. This meant the company had the legal permission to use the water for the project.
