Mike's Minute: Some good energy news for winter, for once

Christmas came early for Tiwai Aluminium Smelter.

They get to do business. In fact, they get to do business in a country where you would have thought doing business is to be encouraged.

They have been prevented from doing all the business they can because they have a deal with their power company, Meridian, whereby they have to contain themselves if things are a bit tight in the old power department.

Bryan Leyland: Our power system is in serious trouble

The government recently issued a policy statement on electricity that has a laudable primary objective of providing the reliable and economic supply of electricity that we desperately need. It then goes on to discuss a scenario that features rapid load growth that is largely met by wind and solar power.