Together with its partner Poutini Ngāi Tahu, Westpower said it welcomed the panel’s draft decision to approve the project. It said the scheme was an important step towards improving the resilience of electricity supply on the West Coast and contributing to Aotearoa New Zealand’s climate change commitments. “We are encouraged to see the Waitaha Hydro project move forward. We are committed to progressing responsibly, in partnership with Poutini Ngāi Tahu and our local communities,” Westpower chief executive Peter Armstrong said. The FMC was also unhappy that it and other parties were stopped from making a submission to the fast-track expert panel on the proposal.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 14, 2026 17:14 UTC