Genesis Energy wants to build a 480MW gas-burning baseload power station in Kaukapakapa, an idyllic rural settlement in Rodney District , near the Kaipara Harbour.
LATEST NEWS: This week the Rodney District Council plans to make an announcement on the remaining power station applications. We will update this page when the decision has been released.
The Kaukapakapa Area Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc. (KARRA) opposes the Rodney Power Station proposal in its entirety. Our principal concerns include:
Genesis Energy’s proposal is contrary to local and central government planning policies. The 48ha site borders a 300ha area designated an ‘Outstanding Natural Landscape’ and a ‘Significant Natural Area’ by local councils. The Kaukapakapa River is a protected inland waterway – yet Genesis want to discharge up to 1,900 m3 contaminated and heated water (up to 36.9 degrees) into it each day! The ARC granted the water intake and discharge resource consents in December 2008 but Genesis has appealed some of the consent conditions to the Environment Court. The SOE's Notice of Appeal shows that they wish to discharge into the river more than ten times the level of nitrates that the consent allows for, and over five times the level of Ammonia-N.
Genesis claim the Rodney Plant is necessary for "security of supply". Information from the Ministry of Economic Development, the Electricity Commission and generators shows that by 2012, more than twice the new generation needed to meet increasing demand should be operating.
Estimates are that the Rodney Power Station will cost taxpayers over $500 million to build. Vector estimates that additional gas infrastructure required for the power station will cost a further $117 million. Gas supplies are dwindling, gas prices have tripled in recent years, and Genesis has suggested importing LNG to run the plant. Thermal plants like Rodney will incur a carbon tax, and Genesis will have to recover the cost of burning expensive gas - further increasing how much you pay for electricity. With wind, hydro, geothermal, tidal and wave generation the fuel is plentiful and free!
Genesis state that the Rodney Plant will emit up to 1.74 million tonnes of CO2 each year.
Allowing an industrial development to be built in a General Rural zone will set a precedent, encouraging further industrial development around this particular site and in other rural areas outside Auckland's Metropolitan Urban Limits (MULs).
Our small rural community now faces the daunting task of taking on one of New Zealand's largest (Government owned) power generation companies with its lawyers, experts and full time staff - not to mention very deep pockets. We need your help!