Flood of resistance to plans for power

Plans for a hydro power station on the Kaituna River that include a dam and changes to a reserve have drawn stiff opposition.

Bay of Plenty Electricity Ltd has applied to the Department of Conservation to build a dam and flood part of the Upper Kaituna Scenic Reserve to build the station, which would generate 13.5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 10,000 homes, or 15 per cent of Rotorua's demand.

The 54ha reserve borders the western bank of the Kaituna River and is located downstream from Okere Falls and the Trout Pool.

The power station would involve some permanent change to the reserve, including flooding a 1.2km-long strip of vegetation to power the station.

A further 2.5km of river would have its level reduced by as much as 2.6m downstream of the dam.

With submissions to the Department of Conservation due to close today, the proposal has drawn a number of critics.

While the plans would not affect commercial kayaking, Kaituna Kayaks Ltd owner Ken Mutton said a dam would ruin the scenery for kayakers through the gorges.

That area is "one of the most scenic places you would see in the world", Mr Mutton said.

For the small amount of electricity the scheme would supply, the dam would destroy "awesome scenery".

He has signed a mass submission opposing the plans.

In a letter to the Daily Post, Hamurana resident Diane Calder also voiced her opposition to the plan. She agrees that that the scheme's output would be so small it would not be not worth sacrificing the attractions the Kaituna offers.

She suggested the energy output could be offset by turning off every second street light, turning street lights off in the early mornings, using more efficient light bulbs, and installing solar water heaters in homes.

Fish and Game also want the natural state of the Kaituna River and the Kaituna Scenic Reserve to be preserved. About 18 months ago regional manager Steve Smith raised concerns with Bay of Plenty Electricity about the fisheries, but says he has not had a response.

The power company has said the fishery area, known as the Trout Pools, would not be affected, but Mr Smith would have liked someone to have made direct contact with Fish and Game.

"That [lack of contact] doesn't make you feel that you've been taken seriously," Mr Smith said.

He was now "feeling a bit confused" over the whole process because Fish and Game had been involved in the early stages of the project, including making fisheries' concerns known.

He said the river's natural character and the reserve needed to be the focus, and believed the Department of Conservation was qualified enough to determine whether a dam would do that.

The Department of Conservation's media spokesman, Mark Davies, said at the last count, the number of submissions received had reached about 100.

However, that was more than a week ago and Mr Davies expected a much bigger number when the department does its final count at the end of today.



Mr Davies said key points would be taken from the submissions of people who didn't want to be heard. Hearings for those who do want to be heard would be planned to take place in Rotorua from mid-April.

The Daily Post was unable to contact anyone from Bay of Plenty Electricity Ltd yesterday.