South Island power company Westpower says the government's decision to stop it building a hydro scheme on the West Coast is a victory for minority environmental interests over common sense.
The run-of-the-river scheme on the Waitaha River, between Hokitika and Franz Josef, would have powered up to 12,000 homes and had been backed by the Department of Conservation. But it was vetoed yesterday by the Environment Minister David Parker.
Westpower's chief executive is Rob Caldwell, he spoke to Corin Dann.
