Meridian Energy's proposed $2 billion Project Hayes wind farm has proved costly for all involved in the consent process - not just the state-owned power company.
The Otago Regional Council and Central Otago District Council have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars throughout the process, and opponents of the development have also paid dearly for their right to appear in court.
Meridian first lodged resource consent applications for Project Hayes with the CODC in July 2006 and in October 2007 with the ORC.
CODC-related costs for the initial hearing were about $400,000, which were recovered from Meridian.
A subsequent Environment Court appeal hearing for the 176-turbine Project Hayes, from which a decision is pending, cost the CODC about $200,000, which it cannot recover.
The council failed to get Ministry for the Environment funding to cover some of its appeal costs.
Exact ORC costs were not available yesterday.
Alexandra resident John Douglas has voiced his opposition to Project Hayes since Meridian first applied for consents.
Mr Douglas (61), said he had no way of knowing how much he had spent fighting the wind farm to date, but it would be in the low tens of thousands.
He had not received any grants to help with costs, which had all been self-funded.
Mr Douglas had not factored in the cost of his time spent dedicated to the project, but said it had robbed him of sleep and hours he would have otherwise been able to work.
Witnesses and others involved in Mr Douglas' appeal had volunteered their time or in some cases covered their own costs of appearing at hearings and providing information.
Mr Douglas said if Meridian was awarded costs in relation to the Environment Court appeal hearing, it would bankrupt him.
"If I had to pay costs, I would lose my home and everything," he said.
Appellant Ian Manson, from Paerau, said being involved from the initial hearing had cost "a hell of a lot of money".
Mr Manson was involved in the Maniototo Environmental Society during the initial consent hearing in 2007.
He said the society spent about $70,000 on that hearing, and he personally had spent a considerable amount appealing the consent decision to the Environment Court.
Legal fees, time off work, and travel costs were factored into overall expenses, he said.
Financial statements of the appellant group Upland Landscape Protection Society - now in liquidation - indicated Christchurch-based Rhodes and Co, Barristers and Solicitors, charged the society $45,364 for costs relating to the legal fight over Project Hayes.
Some appellants spoken to by the Otago Daily Times did not want to comment on Project Hayes while an Environment Court decision was pending.
Others could not be contacted yesterday.
