Past comes back to haunt ‘greedy’ lines company

ELECTRICITY restructuring in the 1990s led to the Dunedin City Council selling its Waipori power generation to one and its power retailing to another, thus retaining its distribution network. The law demanded separation.

The Otago Central Electric Power Board, differently, welcomed Dunedin overtures, maybe enjoying the wooing and seducing, selling its lines network for a very, very large pot of gold.

Four years ago, OCEPB’s network was found to be no goose/golden egg — particularly hardwood poles, which apparently never rot in Central, as it’s so dry. They do and they did!

Fast forward, past a whistleblower’s campaign, to Aurora’s linecharging intentions of today, and Russell Garbutt’s great gripe (ODT, 21.5.20).

Over in Central Otago, a significant community trust benefits local worthy causes regularly with gifts and grants. The capital of that trust comprises Dunedin’s largesse bulked by sale proceeds of OCEPB’s other assets, if I’m not mistaken.

Russell, methinks Dunedin paid far too much for your rotten old poles!

There again, here is a ‘‘lines company — a protected monopoly’’ seemingly, acting greedily. Aurora or DCC please tell us; over 25 years, did electricity users on the old OCEPB network get beneficial line charges compared with those on the old DCC network?

Network Waitaki, up here, offers a fair comparison.

Graeme Chesney

North Otago

Invercargill electorate

THE selection of Penny Simmonds to contest the Invercargill seat for the National Party in the September elections (ODT, 20.5.20) is great news for the Labour candidate, and the Government, as it will ensure a Labour victory in the Invercargill seat. The reason is that the Labour candidate and the Government stand for the betterment and wellbeing of all New Zealanders, not just for a privileged section of society that Simmonds and her grandstanding sidekick in the Clutha election stand for.

Gary McEwan

Wyndham