Transpower will today decide whether it'll take the next big step in combatting the current power shortage. 

Spiking electricity prices have forced Winstone's central North Island pulp and sawmills to propose closing, with more than 200 jobs on the line.

Transpower will make a decision on if generators can take more water from the hydro lakes - creating more power. 

Major Electricity Users' Group Chair John Harbord told Ryan Bridge he'd be surprised if they don't tap into them. 

He says we have this water set aside for emergencies, and there's no doubt the crisis we're in is anything but a critical issue for our communities.

LISTEN ABOVE

Transpower will today decide whether it'll take the next big step in combatting the current power shortage.  
Spiking electricity prices have forced Winstone's central North Island pulp and sawmills to propose closing, with more than 200 jobs on the line. 
Transpower will make a decision on if generators can take more water from the hydro lakes - creating more power.  
Major Electricity Users' Group Chair John Harbord told Ryan Bridge he'd be surprised if they don't tap into them.  
He says we have this water set aside for emergencies, and there's no doubt the crisis we're in is anything but a critical issue for our communities. 
LISTEN ABOVE

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

John Harbord: Major Electricity Users' Group Chair on the possibility of using more water from hydro lakes to generate power

Today marks the anniversary of the September 11th tragedy in the United States. 

23 years ago, nearly 3000 people died at a number of sites across the US, and memorials and moments of silence are held on the anniversary every year.

US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Ryan Bridge that a number of political figures were in attendance at this morning’s memorial at the World Trade Centre in New York, including Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

LISTEN ABOVE

Today marks the anniversary of the September 11th tragedy in the United States.  
23 years ago, nearly 3000 people died at a number of sites across the US, and memorials and moments of silence are held on the anniversary every year. 
US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Ryan Bridge that a number of political figures were in attendance at this morning’s memorial at the World Trade Centre in New York, including Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Mitch McCann: US Correspondent on the September 11th memorials in the United States

A heated exchange between the two US presidential hopefuls - with many saying Kamala Harris got under Donald Trump's skin

The pair faced off over inflation, abortion and foreign policy in a high stakes debate in Pennsylvania.

US Pollster Henry Olsen told Ryan Bridge that debates in the past have had a minor effect on the polls, but this race is so close that even a minor effect could transform Harris from an underdog to the favourite.

This debate could have an impact on the polls, he said, but we won’t know for at least another week. 

LISTEN ABOVE

A heated exchange between the two US presidential hopefuls - with many saying Kamala Harris got under Donald Trump's skin 
The pair faced off over inflation, abortion and foreign policy in a high stakes debate in Pennsylvania. 
US Pollster Henry Olsen told Ryan Bridge that debates in the past have had a minor effect on the polls, but this race is so close that even a minor effect could transform Harris from an underdog to the favourite. 
This debate could have an impact on the polls, he said, but we won’t know for at least another week.  
LISTEN ABOVE

Henry Olsen: US Pollster on the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump

People seem to think Kamala Harris made a fool of Trump in the debate, but real fool was us, New Zealand.

Within 24 hours of the debate we got news of 230 jobs lost due in part to an energy crunch caused by moral grandstanding on climate change.

That's 230 jobs, but up to 1000 people including families. That's half the population of Raetihi and Ohakune.

Shane Jones calls it the hollowing out of regional NZ, and there's much more to come.

We also had news Methanex is consulting on mothballing, indefinitely, one of its two remaining plants.

Why? You guessed it - in part it's moral grandstanding on climate change.

More on that in a second, but first back to the debate. This is the most left, progressive political leader in America, Kamala Harris, boasting about fracking.

"I will not ban fracking. I have not banned fracking as Vice President of the United States. And in fact, I was the tie breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act which opened new leases for fracking."

And here, Kamala Harris boasts about record domestic oil production while she and Biden were in charge.

"We have had the largest increase in domestic oil production in history."

Drill baby, drill.

Meanwhile, we're basking in nuclear free moment bliss down here at the bottom of the Pacific. Sending manufacturing jobs and regional jobs off to the slaughterhouse.

And yes, climate change is real, etcetera.

But why would we cut our noses off to spite our faces, when the most progressive, climate conscious contender to run the world's largest economy, and biggest user of oil, is boasting about drilling for it?

Sitting watching that debate yesterday it wasn't Trump I thought looked stupid, it was us.

People seem to think Kamala Harris made a fool of Trump in the debate, but real fool was us, New Zealand. 
Within 24 hours of the debate we got news of 230 jobs lost due in part to an energy crunch caused by moral grandstanding on climate change. 
That's 230 jobs, but up to 1000 people including families. That's half the population of Raetihi and Ohakune. 
Shane Jones calls it the hollowing out of regional NZ, and there's much more to come. 
We also had news Methanex is consulting on mothballing, indefinitely, one of its two remaining plants. 
Why? You guessed it - in part it's moral grandstanding on climate change. 
More on that in a second, but first back to the debate. This is the most left, progressive political leader in America, Kamala Harris, boasting about fracking. 
"I will not ban fracking. I have not banned fracking as Vice President of the United States. And in fact, I was the tie breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act which opened new leases for fracking." 
And here, Kamala Harris boasts about record domestic oil production while she and Biden were in charge. 
"We have had the largest increase in domestic oil production in history." 
Drill baby, drill. 
Meanwhile, we're basking in nuclear free moment bliss down here at the bottom of the Pacific. Sending manufacturing jobs and regional jobs off to the slaughterhouse. 
And yes, climate change is real, etcetera. 
But why would we cut our noses off to spite our faces, when the most progressive, climate conscious contender to run the world's largest economy, and biggest user of oil, is boasting about drilling for it? 
Sitting watching that debate yesterday it wasn't Trump I thought looked stupid, it was us.

John Harbord: Major Electricity Users' Group Chair on the possibility of using more water from hydro lakes to generate power

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