Hydro and wind supplanted thermal generation in Sept quarter

By NZPA

Monday 6th December 2004

Renewable resources supplied three quarters of New Zealand's power generation in the September year, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Total power generation rose 5.7% to 39,310 gigawatt hours in the September year.

Hydro and wind generation was 17.8% higher in the year and accounted for 69% of the power generation during the year compared with 62% the year before. The 2004 percentage is the highest since 1998 when it was 72%.

In the September quarter, hydro and wind generation was 27.4% higher than the September 2003 quarter and was a record for any quarter, exceeding the previous peak in the September 1994 quarter. Hydro and wind supplied 71% of the country's power during the quarter. Thermal generation was 26% lower.

Geothermal generation was up 3.2% on the September 2003 quarter but was 1.2% lower over the September year.

Prices for commercial electricity users rose 0.9% in the quarter and 9.5% for the year.

Prices for domestic users rose 1.4% in the quarter and 8.5% for the year.

Gas production was 14.3% lower for the quarter and 20.7% for the year - the lowest volume since 1985 and down 36.5% on the peak hit in September 2001.

The volume of domestic crude petrol produced fell 18.8% in the September year against 2003 and was 58.7% below its 1991 peak. Crude imports were down 15.3% on 2003.

In the September year, the volume of petrol products delivered, including fuel oils, aviation fuels and kerosene, was up 3.4% compared with 2003.

Retail petrol prices rose 0.7% in the September quarter and were 11.9% higher than a year earlier.

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