No security of supply | The Jackal

14 May 2012

No security of supply

Today, NewstalkZB reported:

A report has been released into the Maui gas leak last October.

The outage caused widespread disruption to businesses in the upper North Island, with many having to completely shut down.

Maui Development Limited's report has found the gas leak and resulting outage was caused by a section of the pipeline in North Taranaki's Pukearuhe area failing due to a landslide.

Investigations have also found that no property, defect or flaw in the pipe itself contributed to the failure.

The section of the pipeline has now been stabilised, and will be continually monitored so a longer term solution for the section can be implemented.

Monitoring is hardly going to help find a long term solution. The problem is that the 33 year old pipeline was put in the wrong place to begin with to save money.

Coastal erosion in Taranaki will continue to threaten gas supplies to areas like Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.

Maui Development Limited hasn't released their report to the public for some reason? There is also no report into the economic cost of the ruptured pipeline.