TOP STORY: Hydro dam on Mohaka studied

JONATHAN DOW
Meridian Energy is investigating damming the Mohaka River in northern Hawke's Bay for a hydroelectric scheme that would create a 300-hectare lake.
The dam would be in a ravine about 5km north of the Raupunga railway viaduct.
The lake would be below the stretch of river, ending at Willow Flat, that was protected by the water conservation order imposed last year.
It is understood one model of the scheme has a 50m high dam that would form a narrow lake that would stretch about 15km to Willow Flat and provide enough energy to power a city the size of Gisborne.
Meridian spokesman Gerald Raymond said they were exploring the potential for hydro development outside the area protected by the water-conservation order.
Engineers have spent several days travelling and surveying the river and surrounding terrain and would now work on modelling a possible dam.
The lake would flood a mixture of private and Department of Conservation land, Mr Raymond said, but which land exactly would depend on where a dam was placed and its height, which had not been decided.
"Because of the steep terrain you are not going to have a lake stretching back many kilometres."
Mr Raymond said locally sourced generation would improve the security of Hawke's Bay's electricity supply.
"One of the problems in the Gisborne and Hawke's Bay area is the security of supply," Mr Raymond said.
"You are reliant on electricity coming into the area.
"The Mohaka River has long been identified for hydro development, but as yet no-one has taken advantage of that."
It was too early to estimate how much power a hydroelectric scheme on the lower Mohaka would produce, Mr Raymond said. Meridian Energy is a state owned enterprise and the biggest generator in New Zealand, producing about 30 percent of electricity.
A hydroelectric scheme could work in conjunction with the wind farms proposed in Hawke's Bay, Mr Raymond said.
The wind farms could provide energy while the wind blows, allowing the hydro dam to store water until it is needed to generate electricity.
Meridian Energy is working in partnership with local iwi Ngati Pahauwera and had held a consultation hui in Mohaka late last year.
Ruku Wainohu, the iwi's project manager, said they were in the middle of a feasibility study and would give an update another hui in March.
"Just at the moment there are some people who would like to see it go ahead and some who are a little doubtful," Mr Wainohu said.
The results of the feasibility study would be presented at a final hui for Ngati Pahauwera in Mohaka in June before deciding whether to go ahead with it.
Under a Treaty of Waitangi settlement, which Mr Wainohu hopes will be finalised this year, ownership of the Mohaka river bed would return to Ngati Pahauwera. Some of the 55 people at the first hui had opposed the idea, but at the end of the day they made a unanimous decision to proceed with the feasibility study, Mr Wainohu said.
"As far as I'm concerned it will bring us into the 21st century."
He hoped to have 100 people attend the March hui and 200 in June.
Department of Conservation Hawke's Bay area manager Ken Hunt said his department had not received any application for a hydroelectric dam but Meridian had indicated they were interested and had discussed the matter with his staff.
"Our interests would extend to any conservation land that may be affected. Or fish passage, particularly native eels," Mr Hunt said.