You are here: Resource Management Act Administration of the RMA Call in of matters of national significance

Contact’s proposal for a new geothermal power station at 'Te Mihi'

Current "call-ins"

Board of Inquiry information

Information relating to the Board of Inquiry is now available from the Board of Inquiry Te Mihi Geothermal Power Station Proposal’s web pages.

Reports provided to the Board and updates on Board processes leading to a hearing are also held on these web pages.

Minister receives submissions on Contact’s proposal

The Minister received a total of 24 submissions on Contact’s Te Mihi Geothermal Power Station Proposal.

In accordance with the Resource Management Act, submissions have been provided to the Board of Inquiry.

The summary of submissions report and electronic copies of all submissions are available on the Board of Inquiry’s web pages.

Minister appoints Board of Inquiry

The Minister for the Environment, Hon Trevor Mallard, appointed the Board of Inquiry on 6 March 2008.

The Chair of the Board is Judge Gordon Whiting, an Environment Judge. The other Board members are Dr Patrick Browne, Denis Nugent and Glenice Paine. See biographical information on the board members.

Background

Contact Energy Limited is proposing to build a new geothermal power station in the Wairakei-Tauhara Geothermal Field in an area known as 'Te Mihi' near Taupo.

The proposal will involve a number of associated activities including a new transmission line, a new switchyard, air discharges and discharges to land and groundwater. Details of the proposal can be found on Contact’s website.

The Minister for the Environment, Hon Trevor Mallard, has ‘called in’ Contact’s applications for resource consent needed for its Te Mihi power station proposal under the Resource Management Act 1991. As part of the call in, the Minister will refer Contact’s applications to an independent Board of Inquiry.

Receipt of submissions closed at 5.00 pm on Friday 7 March 2008. The Minister has since referred these submissions to the Board of Inquiry.

The Board will consider Contact’s applications for resource consents, hold public hearings and make a decision about whether or not to grant the resource consents.

Further information

For further information on the proposal, please see the Board of Inquiry Te Mihi Geothermal Power Station Proposal’s web pages.

For more information about call-ins see Ministerial intervention on proposals of national significance under the Resource Management Act.

If you have questions please see our information sheet on Contact Energy's proposal. You can also email temihicallin@mfe.govt.nz or phone 0800 836 444.