NEWS 8 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>September</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2021</strong> Photo competition Keen photographers have the opportunity to win with the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> and Department of Conservation, in <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>’s Conservation Week photo competition. Send in an image of how you have taken time to notice or care for nature in the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> distribution area (Waimakariri, Hurunui and Kaikoura districts). Images can be of: Your favourite native area, plant, bird, insect etc. Out enjoying nature around you – walking, cycling, fishing etc. Caring for nature planting atree, pulling some weeds etc’ Prizes are: First prize: Goodnature® A24 Rat &Stoat Trap (Worth $199). Second prize: DOC annual back country hut pass (Worth $144). Third prize: $75 gift voucher to spend at the Arthur’s Pass Visitor Centre. Fourth prize: $50 voucher from DOC Motukarara Nursery’ To enter: Email an image suitable for publication (minimum 1–3MB) to info@ncnews.co.nz. Include your name, email, address, phone number and location of image. Images will be judged by the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> team. Winning entries will be published in the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> in the 30 <strong>September</strong> <strong>2021</strong> paper. The DOC <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> team will contact the winning entries to supply the prizes. Entries close 5pm, Friday, <strong>September</strong> 24. Caring for nature ... Sally Wilson watering native plants. Take apic of someone out enjoying nature, caring for nature or of your favourite native area, plant or birds, and enter it in the competition. Photo: File The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong> and DOC reserve the right to use the winning images for publication, crediting the photographer. For all other images, we will contact you for approval if we would like to use them for publication /website, ensuring the photographer is credited. Wind farm on target By ROBYN BRISTOW The constructionofthe Mt Cass Wind Farm in <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> is still on targettostart this Spring. It is nearing financial closure, which enables the detailed design and construction to startafterpredevelopment activitiesand approvals are complete, says MainPowerNew Zealand chair Tony King. ‘‘Thiswill be the South Island’s largest wind farm, bringingsignificant economic benefit to <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>,’’ says Mr Kinginthe company’s annual report. When complete,the windfarm, will have the capacity to power around 40,000homes. The 22 turbines willstretchalong a 7.5 kilometre ridgeonMtCass, about 5km eastofWaiparatownship. The Kate Valleylandfill is nearby. Mr King says investmentsinsolar energyhave provided valuable learning opportunities for MainPower. ‘‘We will embark on future projects with agreater understandingofthe complexities of solar generation, use, storage and commerciality.’’ MainPower has asubstantialcapital works programme set for the next few years. Mr King says this includes work to renew ageing partsofthe network, provide additionalcapacity in some areas and generally to ‘‘prepare for a futurewhereelectrificationisthe main way of decarbonising the New Zealand economy to address climatechange concerns’’. Network Pricing MainPower’spricing restructure, introduced on April1,2020, further alignedrevenue to the actualcost of electricity supply, he says. The increase in fixedcharges, coupledwith the reduction in variable charges, has giventhe consumermore certainty aroundthe cost of electricity supply. ‘‘This realignment givesMainPower greater revenue stability, creating further cost certainty for consumers. ‘‘The company will continue to adjust prices to meetthe expectations of the regulators around costofsupply and appropriate pricing signals.’’ Chief executive Andy Lester saysin the report aprofit before tax of $11 millionwas madeinthe 202021 financial year. The results was due to strong growth across all revenue lines,including an increase in land development in <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>and growth in new connections, all contributingto increased electricity consumption.This was couple with its well planned and coordinated pandemic response. ‘‘We delivered an intensive and acceleratednetwork maintenance programme as part of our Asset ManagementPlan.This programme included 654 pole replacements, 17 ring main unit replacements, 80 link box replacementsand 10 low voltage switchgear unit replacements. ‘‘ These upgrades form part of a longertermplan to increasenetwork capacity and capabilitytomeet the evolving needs of our customers.’’ Major projects over the year included switchgear replacement at the Ludstone, commissioningthe Soiuthbrook66kV substation upgrade as well as complexjobs on both the Hanmer and Kaikouralines, wherewe replaced aged power poles or enabled them to support 66kV lines.’’ Fun and exercise all year round Become anurse – build on any degree Thinking of acareerchange? 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Aworld-wide nursing shortage means youare enteringanin-demandprofession. CHCH-HM1152-0821 •Delivered throughour Christchurchcampus. •Flexibleprogramme delivery: on-campus block coursesand facilitated onlinelearning. •Clinicalplacements available throughoutthe SouthIsland. •Accesstoastate-of-theart simulationcentre. •Part-time studyoptions available. Join us in person or onlineatour upcoming information evening andhear from staff andstudents. Thursday 23 <strong>September</strong> I 5:30–6:30pm Centre forPostgraduateNursing Studies, UniversityofOtago,Christchurch, 72 Oxford Terrace TO REGISTERAND FORSTREAMING DETAILSVISIT: otago.ac.nz/nursingmasters www.lagoonpools.co.nz 03 349 2<strong>16</strong>0 0800 927282
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