Copeland Gordon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Copeland Gordon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:607;Page:5042] 
7.  
GORDON COPELAND (United Future) 
 to the  
Minister of Energy 
: Does he agree that although New Zealand has enough back-up generation capacity at its thermal power stations to meet electricity demand this winter the depletion of Maui means there may not be enough fuel available to run them? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Energy) 
: 
 I agree with the view expressed by electricity industry spokesperson Dr Patrick Strange yesterday that we cannot yet be certain that there will be enough thermal electricity generation if the winter is dry and cold but that generators are working very hard to improve the thermal fuel situation by sourcing additional coal and other fuel supplies. 
Gordon Copeland 
: In order to address the potential thermal generation fuel shortage what action if any will he take to assist New Zealand’s thermal electricity generators to acquire extra fuel such as coal in sufficient quantities and within the increasingly tight time frame needed to avert electricity shortages this winter. 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The member might not be aware that Genesis Energy Solid Energy New Zealand Tranz Rail the Government the port of Tauranga and a lot of other people have been working very seriously on the issue and are starting to make some progress. 
Mark Peck 
: What information does the Minister have on generators’ progress in sourcing further fuel supplies for thermal generation this winter? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: My advice is that Contact Energy is on track to switch its New Plymouth station from gas to fuel oil by June—or at least the first of those stations will be switched by 1 June—and that Genesis has contracted with Solid Energy for a significant increase in coal supplies for Huntly. Genesis is also making plans to import extra coal to meet winter peak demands. I am pleased that generators have agreed to update the Winter Power Taskforce every week on progress in securing thermal supplies so that that information is made public regularly. 
Peter Brown 
: Will the Minister clarify that he is absolutely certain that in the short term there will be an actual shortage of gas and not—as rumour is suggesting—a reduced amount because of contractual difficulties? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The amount of gas available that is economically recoverable has been determined by an independent expert. That amount of gas differs from the total amount that is recoverable at some other price. 
Stephen Franks 
: What is the Minister doing to stop the Department of Conservation blocking the mining of huge new West Coast coal deposits so that next year we do not have to import 600000 tonnes of coal from our environmentally sensitive friends in Indonesia? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Importing coal from Australia is cheaper than importing it from the West Coast of the South Island. 
Gordon Copeland 
: In order to address the potential electricity supply shortfall this winter does he have any immediate plans to instigate further electricity conservation measures such as endorsing the Winter Power Taskforce call for voluntary electricity savings of 5 percent or encouraging the uptake of alternative energy sources such as solar-powered water heating systems? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I am of course working closely with that group as it comes to that figure of 5 percent and I am delighted that it is showing the leadership that it is. Of course I endorse that call as I did roundly yesterday. As for solar water heaters there may or may not be some announcements before the Budget. 
John Carter 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I wanted to raise this point at the end of this question because yesterday I asked you for a considered ruling—which you will no doubt give us when the House resumes after the adjournment—on the issue of the time that the House spent on Tuesday in relation to the answers given by the Prime Minister. Today we have ended up in a similar situation whereby our leader and others have asked a number of questions because they were not satisfied with the answers given by the Prime Minister. The end result is that we lose the opportunity to ask supplementary questions on other questions. In those circumstances I wonder whether there is the opportunity for you to permit extra supplementary questions to be asked. Otherwise we will be cut out of our opportunity to ask a supplementary question on this energy question for example. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member can seek leave and I presume he is doing so. Is there any objection? There is.