Meridian Energy Ltd can expected a decision reasonably promptly on whether it will get water for the $900 million north bank tunnel concept power scheme it wants to build on the lower Waitaki River.
The company, supporters and opponents of the power scheme between the Waitaki dam and Stonewall, near Ikawai, have spent another three days since Tuesday at a reconvened hearing in Christchurch before three independent commissioners appointed by Environment Canterbury to hear and decide on four water-only resource consent applications for the north bank tunnel concept.
Last year, after a hearing in Timaru which started in August and ended at the beginning of October, panel chairman Prof Peter Skelton indicated a decision would be made by May.
However, the decision was delayed after the panel called for further evidence on four issues it wanted clarified from last year's hearing.
Those issues were the need for electricity in New Zealand and the place of hydro in fulfilling that need, a commitment by Meridian to provide extra water for irrigators between the Waitaki dam and Black Point, progress on didymo research and proposed river enhancement work if the scheme was built.
Over the past three days, he panel heard evidence from Meridian, Transpower, Waitaki First, the Waitaki Protection Trust and others relating to those specific issue.
Yesterday, Prof Skelton adjourned the hearing sine die - able to reconvene again, if necessary, with 21 days notice.
Those hearings start next week in Oamaru to consider other applications to use water on the Waitaki River below the Waitaki dam.
They are scheduled for completion in mid-September, after which a decision would be delivered on the tunnel scheme.
