Brief History of
The Tuapeka Dam Project

1965

- Meeting held in Coronation Hall, Beaumont, with NZED (New Zealand Electricity Dept.)

1976

- Hugh Watt assures the people of Beaumont "No dams below Roxburgh".

1972

- "No dams on the Lower Clutha" re-affirmed by the new Labour Government. No Government since has indicated any support whatsoever for the project.

1976-1993

- Clyde dam "think big" project commenced and completed (by special act of Parliament, overturning High Court refusal to grant consents) at a cost over-run of $1 billion amid fierce controversy as to its safety, viability and need. The Clyde dam (445 megawatts) is upstream of both the Roxburgh dam (built 1956) and the proposed Tuapeka project.

1989

- Electricity Department replaced by State Owned Enterprise, Electricity Corporation of New Zealand (ECNZ).

1991

- Tuapeka dam project described as ECNZ's "preferred option" and extensive investigations begin.

1993

- Process accelerates - notice boards erected in Lawrence and Millers Flat announcing the project. Land purchases increase markedly. More investigations are undertaken and earlier ones updated. The cost of investigations up to 1995 is estimated at $10m. Land purchases are estimated at $12m.

1994

- February - Friends of Beaumont formed. March. FOB attends Greenpeace Energy conference, April. Protest at opening of Clyde dam - meet Prime Minister who expresses an ongoing interest in the area and concern at the hydro plans for Tuapeka. June, 20/20 TV Documentary. August, FOB incorporated as a society. October. FOB North Island Tour by Chairperson Graeme Collins and family, with petition.December. First Annual General Meeting, at Beaumont. Executive elected. Moves to have Birch Island (on Clutha at Tuapeka Mouth) protected by a conservation order is refused by Conservation Minister saying it might "prejudice hydro development".

1995

- February: ECNZ split into two competing entities but still owned by Government.60 Minutes documentary. Song "Bessie" recorded. March-July. Submissions drafted and prepared for Clutha District Council District Plan. Submissions presented. March-July: Submissions drafted and presented for DOC Proposed Plan. December 10th, FOB AGM at Millers Flat. Rare invertebrates discovered on Birch Island by scientists.

1996

- FOB meets Contact Energy Ltd chairman and chief executive. Assurances given that no more land will be purchased and no more investigations undertaken until a decision is made whether or not to proceed with the project. Petition presented to Sir Robin Gray, MP for Clutha. Over 22,000 signatures. Petition would be heard after election of new Government after October 14th 1996. Conservation Department Plan refuses special status for Birch Island despite scientific discoveries. Minister of Energy signals no more dams on large rivers in New Zealand.

1996 - September.

Contact Energy Limited announce that they have deferred the Tuapeka Project "indefinitely" and that it would not be looked at until 10 and 15 years from now. Contact however, say that they will not put any of the land and buildings, homes, etc, on the market so that people can buy it back. Also they refuse to withdraw their appeal to the Planning Tribunal against the Clutha Council Proposed District Plan, which, if adopted, would make it difficult for Contact to gain planning consents for the project.

1996 - September 13th

A public meeting at Millers Flat, with representatives from Millers Flat and Beaumont pass two resolutions. The first is: "A Lower Clutha Ratepayers and Residents Association be formed from those present to pursue the resolution, that has been approved (that is): "That Contact be called upon to undertake liaison with representatives of both the Millers Flat and Beaumont areas, to facilitate the release of properties they own, into private ownership. Meeting organised by Contact for 18th September with Beaumont residents. Contact say they will refuse to sell land back. They say the 'resource' may be taken up in the future by another developer and they do not want to prejudice such an eventuality. Developer unlikely to be competitor of Contact. More likely a developer to build the dam and lease it to Contact. Estimated cost to build. $2billion. Net capital worth of Contact presently $1.2 billion. Region continues to suffer, falling school roll, decay of rental properties, uncertainty and despair amongst local people continues. Proposals to instigate legal actions against Contact to force them to release property. Legal action already upstream over silting and flooding due to operation of the Roxburgh and Clyde dams.

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