Transmission upgrade might not accommodate all wind farms

The variant nature of wind energy generation could be costly to power users, and it is possible a $100 million transmission upgrade will not accommodate all wind farms currently proposed, an Environment Court appeal hearing was told yesterday.Upland Landscape Protection Society counsel Nick Russell, of Wellington, told the Project Hayes hearing in Cromwell constant variations in wind energy generation would strain the national transmission grid, which would in turn cost system operators.Those costs would be handed down to power consumers, . . . Complete story »