The NZ$300m ($210m) dam would be built along the Mokihinui River on the South Island’s west coast, with a generation capacity of 65-85 megawatts (MW). Meridian chief executive Tim Lusk acknowledges there will be an impact on the environment.
But he says the project has won the “overwhelming support” of the local public, as it will greatly improve the region’s energy supply and create 300 temporary jobs during the three-year construction period.
