Contact vows to support staff after asbestos scare

Contact Energy says it has committed to providing long term support to those exposed to asbestos while removing lagging from pipes at a New Plymouth power station.

Workers discovered the hazardous fibre under the insulation pipe lagging about a month ago.

Contact Energy chief executive officer David Baldwin said when the company inherited the plant in 1986 it had a register stating where the asbestos was located.

"What we found was asbestos in an area where it shouldn't have been and therefore we took the proactive step to shut down the plant," he told Radio New Zealand today.

Mr Baldwin said the workers involved were wearing facemasks at the time, but not the protective equipment specifically used for dealing with asbestos.

All were being assessed and Contact had made a commitment to support them and their families on a long-term basis.

"Every contractor and staff member is involved in a screening programme and we've engaged specialists ... to help us with that investigation."

Mr Baldwin said there were two options for the future of the plant. One was to try and remedy the problem - an option likely to take up to six months and cost millions of dollars - and the other was to shut the plant down and possibly demolish it.

Mr Baldwin said the plant was used to support the national grid and became more important in dry years, but shutting it was not likely to cause major problems in the short term.

- NZPA