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| Thread ID: 74756 | 2006-12-04 03:29:00 | Power prices :( | Shortcircuit (1666) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 504117 | 2006-12-04 20:08:00 | Can anyone tell me why Transpower have just 'negotiated' a 12% power price rise with the Commerce Commission, down from the wanted 17%, when a few weeks ago I read that all the lakes are as full as they've ever been this time of year and the price of power from the producers is down at least 10-15% over last year? (sorry, can't find the article now) Something just doesn't add up and as usual it's Joe Bloggs who's getting shafted I think. :confused: The answer is that Transpower has consistently underfunded the grid transmission capacity over many years to the point that we now have an antiquated and below the required capacity system. The chickens are now coming home to roost with an inability to deliver not just to Auckland but in many other places in NZ through transmission constraints. Hang about there will be more to come |
dvm (6543) | ||
| 504118 | 2006-12-04 20:48:00 | Thanks people, it appears that the Herald may have been disengenuois (spelling Greg????) by saying that power prices would go up 12% as it's Transpower's part that is going up 12%. I'm sure all the rest of the supply chain will find a reason to follow suit though :thumbs: Such a shame that the govt spent all that tax money on Auckland roads and was too busy to notice that the power lines were falling down... however I'm ok if the power goes out- my car has good headlights :D |
Shortcircuit (1666) | ||
| 504119 | 2006-12-04 21:32:00 | And on that note it would be far more efficient generating the electricity closer to the points of consumption. If they relocated the Beehive to Auckland then there would be enough hot air to spin a few turbines...... Nice one Andrew.....If only !!!!!!!!!!!! PJ |
Poppa John (284) | ||
| 504120 | 2006-12-04 21:43:00 | I have to laugh at this continual sniping at Auckland. If it was such a rotten place, why do so many NZers go there to live & work. from all over NZ & abroad. Consider................ If all the people who are now living there, who were not BORN there went home, there would be no traffic problems there, would there. The same people who complain about Auckland probably LOVE going to Sydney for a holiday. That is if they could break away from their Parochialism. Many years ago, when living in Auckland I met a bloke who cursed those who did not live in Ak. Upon further questioning, I found that he had been no further north than Albany, & no further south than Hamilton. Now there' Parochialism for you. PJ (in a serious mode.) |
Poppa John (284) | ||
| 504121 | 2006-12-04 21:48:00 | While we have had this discussion before, until technology allows "small" and sill economical nuclear plants, they would be unsuited for use here . A present "small" research reactor of 1 MW would be too large for us . Even the soon-to-be commissioned E3p combined cycle gas turbine plant at Huntly of 0 . 3 MW is causing headaches as to grid stability . If a large generator goes off-line too quickly (and all do at some stage) then large units mean that other generation cannot ramp up in time and major rolling blackouts will occur, causing widespread outages and severe "black start" scenarios . |
godfather (25) | ||
| 504122 | 2006-12-04 23:23:00 | Er... a typo, GF means GW not MW :thumbs: | Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 504123 | 2006-12-04 23:30:00 | Yes. Well spotted. E3p is 300 MW, or 0.3 GW Ideally we need a few 200 MW nuclear, distributed around Auckland If we use the waste as roading material for Auckland, we could solve many issues... |
godfather (25) | ||
| 504124 | 2006-12-04 23:59:00 | These sites were referenced last time we had debate on nuclear power, aside from the long term waste problem, the small portable, sealed power plant of 10 to 100 MW could/would/should be the way to go: www.eurekalert.org www.newscientist.com |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 504125 | 2006-12-05 01:06:00 | While we have had this discussion before, until technology allows "small" and sill economical nuclear plants, they would be unsuited for use here . A present "small" research reactor of 1 MW would be too large for us . Even the soon-to-be commissioned E3p combined cycle gas turbine plant at Huntly of 0 . 3 MW is causing headaches as to grid stability . If a large generator goes off-line too quickly (and all do at some stage) then large units mean that other generation cannot ramp up in time and major rolling blackouts will occur, causing widespread outages and severe "black start" scenarios . One presumes someone is paid good money to do the numbers on these questions,why isn't his head on a stick? |
Cicero (40) | ||
| 504126 | 2006-12-05 01:30:00 | The nuclear issue is a fascinating debate. Leave aside the anti-nuclear arguments and we are left with clear economic questions. As GF says, you can't have just one reactor, you need at least 2 in order to have instant backup generation when one reactor undergoes maintenance/offline. At the moment the cost of a nuclear power station is beyond the NZ economy. Yes, we could build one but the price of power from it would be too high. It would probably take 10 years to build allowing for resource consents etc. You need a lot of people/industries in a concentrated area to get the best use of nuclear generation. When reactors become cheap enough - and that is entirely likely - NZ can consider this option, but it could be 10 years away. In the meantime I think tidal power should be harnessed rather than this light-weight wind nonsence. Solar panels will be useful in time but at the moment are expensive in energy terms and inefficent. Besides, we live in a temperate cloudy country. |
Winston001 (3612) | ||
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