Tiwai smelter to close

[nzoomed]

Was only last year they had reopened their mothballed potroom to increase production!

I really hope we see cheaper electricity prices as a result. Shame so many jobs will be lost though.

https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/247345-pl...unced.html

[harm_less]

Plenty of excess generation from Manapouri. Time for the government to implement some EV incentives to help mop it up.

[Rumpelteazer]

Plenty of excess generation from Manapouri. Time for the government to implement some EV incentives to help mop it up.

Firstly the government will have to upgrade the transmission lines to enable the power to be made available where the population is in the north island.  Then a network of fast re-charging stations will need to be established throughout the country so that EVs can match the range of other vehicles.

[harm_less]

Plenty of excess generation from Manapouri. Time for the government to implement some EV incentives to help mop it up.

Firstly the government will have to upgrade the transmission lines to enable the power to be made available where the population is in the north island.  Then a network of fast re-charging stations will need to be established throughout the country so that EVs can match the range of other vehicles.

Plans or installation already well underway on both counts:
https://www.transpower.co.nz/news/transp...es-project

https://charge.net.nz/map/

[nzoomed]

The bonus is that NZ is not going to need to worry about a power shortage any time soon!

Hopefully the consumer will be better off.

[Golfy]

As far as I can tell, they can’t get that power north so it will be wasted

[harm_less]

As far as I can tell, they can’t get that power north so it will be wasted

That issue is covered in the link to Transpower I made in post #4 earlier. Upgraded transmission is on the way.

[nzoomed]

Will be epic if tesla sets up shop in invercargill. I was hearing something about this on the news as a possibility?

[DymoBoy]

Why do people think electricity will be cheaper? The power company will be looking to replace lost revenue when Tiwai closes, electricity will go up to cover those losses. They've already alluded to higher power prices.

[harm_less]

Why do people think electricity will be cheaper? The power company will be looking to replace lost revenue when Tiwai closes, electricity will go up to cover those losses. They've already alluded to higher power prices.

Excess generation will result so in theory the laws of supply and demand should result in cheaper power. Its not as though the generating companies can store the excess for later use, though this may well become possible if the Lake Onslow pumped hydro project becomes reality, but then of course that project needs to be paid for so electricity prices may well rise for that reason.

[nzoomed]

Why do people think electricity will be cheaper? The power company will be looking to replace lost revenue when Tiwai closes, electricity will go up to cover those losses. They've already alluded to higher power prices.

Excess generation will result so in theory the laws of supply and demand should result in cheaper power. Its not as though the generating companies can store the excess for later use, though this may well become possible if the Lake Onslow pumped hydro project becomes reality, but then of course that project needs to be paid for so electricity prices may well rise for that reason.

Agree, supply and demand drive up costs.
There will be some associated costs with upgrading the grid, but will be compensated over time anyway when the use of electric cars increases.

[Topseycat]

With the increase in the price of Aluminum it might possibly extend beyond the date that Rio Tinto decided to start closing the smelter down. From the sound of it the date for closure is not carved in stone

[Oh_hunnihunni]

And maybe we can all stop subsidising Rio Tinto's power bill.

[harm_less]

And maybe we can all stop subsidising Rio Tinto's power bill.

You been listening to Radio NZ this week too?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programme...-authority