Displaying 1 - 24 of 25 results.

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today announced a new appointment and two reappointments to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) Board.

David Coull has been appointed as a member of the Board, while Marion Cowden has been reappointed Deputy Chair and Mervyn English has been reappointed as a member.

“The appointments will ensure the Board maintains its strong governance and strategic capability,” says Mr Bridges.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today announced the award of ten new oil and gas exploration permits as a result of Block Offer 2013.

The permits include five onshore permits across Taranaki and the East Coast and five offshore permits across the Reinga-Northland, Taranaki, and Great South-Canterbury Basins.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges have welcomed the Environment Court’s decision to grant resource consents to Bathurst Resources for their Escarpment Mine on the West Coast of the South Island.

“The Escarpment Mine and associated works are expected to create 225 direct jobs and approximately $85 million each year will go to employees, suppliers, contractors and transport providers,” Mr Bridges says.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Steven Joyce
  • Energy and Resources
  • Economic Development

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges welcome the start of operations to re-enter Pike River Coal Mine’s main tunnel up to the rock fall.

“The Government has been working closely with Solid Energy to ensure the re-entry plan can be safely carried out. Safety is paramount, and the project will be carefully managed with a risk assessment undertaken at each stage,” says Mr Bridges.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Jonathan Coleman
  • Energy and Resources
  • Defence

235,000 homes have been insulated under the Government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme, well above the original target set.

“When the Government launched the programme in 2009 to help make Kiwi homes warmer, drier and healthier, we had a target of 188,500 insulated by 2013,” says Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges.

“The programme has seen 235,000 homes insulated, directly improving the living conditions of many thousands of New Zealanders.  This is a resounding success.”

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today announced the start of the Block Offer 2014 process for awarding oil and gas exploration permits.

“Consultation now begins with iwi and local authorities in the areas being proposed for onshore and offshore exploration,” says Mr Bridges.

“This is an important first step in the Block Offer process and I encourage iwi and local authorities to take part.  Their feedback ensures that any areas of sensitivity are carefully considered before the 2014 tender round is finalised.”

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

The petroleum and minerals sector generates $333 per hour worked, making it the most productive in the New Zealand economy, a new Government report shows.

The Petroleum and Minerals Sector Report was today released in Wellington by Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges.

The report notes that in the last six years New Zealand has seen:

  • Simon Bridges
  • Steven Joyce
  • Energy and Resources
  • Economic Development

The Government has approved conditional funding of a staged plan to re-enter and explore the main tunnel leading up to the rock fall at the Pike River Coal Mine, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges has announced.

The decision follows approval in principle of the re-entry plan risk assessment by the Solid Energy Board.

Mr Bridges said the Government will fund the estimated cost of the plan, at $7.2 million.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today joined in celebrations in Reefton to mark the town switching on the lights 125 years ago.

“The story of electricity generation on the West Coast deserves celebrating because Reefton was the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to have a public electricity supply,” said Mr Bridges.

“Just a few years after Thomas Edison’s company was lighting the streets of New York, the Reefton hydro-electric power station was supplying electricity directly into local homes. This was an amazing achievement.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed today’s Environment Court decision to grant consents for what could be the largest wind farm project in New Zealand.

Genesis Energy’s Castle Hill project allows for 286 turbines, generating up to 860 megawatts of renewable electricity in an area north of Masterton and east of Eketahuna. This would be enough to power around 370,000 homes.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

New minerals exploration permits awarded today will help create jobs and lift the Northland economy, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says.

Five permits have been offered to three companies – Tai Tokerau Minerals Limited, Waimatenui Exploration Limited and De Grey Mining Limited – as a result of the Northland 2012 tender which sought interest in exploring for metallic minerals in the region.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

A new energy rating scheme launched today could help lift energy efficiency in New Zealand commercial buildings by as much as 25 percent, says Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges.

Speaking at the launch of NABERSNZ, Mr Bridges said the voluntary rating system aims to transform the way office buildings use energy.

“Commercial buildings use 21 percent of New Zealand’s electricity, costing business $800 million every year.  On average, building energy performance could be improved by 20-25 percent,” says Mr Bridges.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed the upgrade of the high-voltage Cook Strait electricity link between the North and South Islands.

The $672 million project, known as Pole 3, allows up to one thousand megawatts to be transmitted between the islands – increasing capacity by about a third. It will replace the 47-year old Pole 1 equipment.

“Pole 3 is a key part of the national electricity transmission grid which will help ensure New Zealand makes the best use of its energy resources throughout the country,” says Mr Bridges.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen,

I thank the Nikkei Forum for their invitation - it is great to be part of such a wide-ranging discussion on the future of Asia. And it is a special pleasure to be back in Japan at this particular time.

It is almost three years since my last visit. A lot has changed. Japan, like my own country, has suffered a huge natural disaster but is now well into the recovery phase. Japan has a new government. And the Nikkei Index is back to its pre-crash level.

But I want to start with the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

The decision today by Conservation Minister Nick Smith to approve the access agreement for Bathurst Resources’ Escarpment Mine near Westport is good news for jobs and economic growth on the West Coast, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges say.

The announcement follows an interim decision by the Environment Court in March that it was likely to grant resource consent to the open-cast mine subject to appropriate conditions being agreed.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Steven Joyce
  • Energy and Resources
  • Economic Development

The Government has further progressed the Pike River Implementation Plan with the release of a discussion document on a new regulatory regime for the mining sector.

Labour and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says the discussion document proposes significant changes to health and safety regulation in New Zealand’s mining industry.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources
  • Labour

Energy and Resources and Labour Minister Simon Bridges leaves for Japan today where he will address the annual Nikkei Forum and meet with business and political leaders.

Mr Bridges has been invited to speak at the Nikkei conference in Tokyo on the theme “Exploring New Partnerships between Asia and the World.”

“Asia is an important and growing export and investment partner for New Zealand and I welcome this opportunity to meet ASEAN leaders and build on our relationships in the region,” he says.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources
  • Labour

The Government is investing in a new three-year insulation programme, which will deliver warmer, drier and healthier homes to communities in most need, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says.

Budget 2013 allocates $100 million of operating funding over three years to the Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy Homes programme, targeting low-income households for home insulation, particularly those families with children and high health needs. It is expected to insulate around 46,000 additional houses.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources
  • Budget 2013

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today announced details of the Government’s second round to attract competing bids for oil and gas exploration permits.

Speaking at the Advantage NZ: 2013 Petroleum Conference, Mr Bridges said Block Offer 2013 is an important step towards realising the potential of New Zealand’s oil and gas resources.

“Block Offer 2013 presents a range of promising opportunities for investors and operators, who bring with them knowledge and experience in global exploration and production of oil and gas.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Labour and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today released an update on the Pike River Implementation Plan.

The plan lays out the actions the Government is taking to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

“The Government has made a commitment to the families of the victims of Pike River to ensure we follow through on every recommendation of the Royal Commission.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Steven Joyce
  • Energy and Resources
  • Labour
  • Economic Development

Electricity consumers should be under no illusion that the Labour-Greens power plan will hit them in the pocket, says Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges.

“Harking back to the 1970s with a half-baked nationalisation plan will ultimately cost consumers as it returns the country to the days of supply constraints, power blackouts and ultimately higher prices.

“David Parker himself said this in advice to the Cabinet in 2006.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says the Labour-Greens power plan is incoherent and will kill competition in the electricity market.

“Under the previous Government, electricity prices increased by 72 per cent. It has taken the National-led Government’s reforms to arrest these ridiculously steep increases on New Zealand households,” says Mr Bridges.

“The 2010 electricity market restructure is working. The market now has more players and much more competition than it ever had under Labour.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today welcomed the passing of the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill into law.

“The changes this Bill introduces promote a safe and sensible regulatory regime for the development of New Zealand’s petroleum and minerals resources,” says Mr Bridges.

“Oil, gas and minerals together contribute over $4 billion to New Zealand’s GDP each year and with responsible development, this contribution could be significantly greater.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

The Government is proposing stronger measures to protect offshore petroleum and minerals activity from unlawful interference, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges said today.

Cabinet has approved further changes to the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill to firm up protection of lawful offshore petroleum and minerals activity and to give new enforcement powers to police and defence force personnel.

The provisions are in a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to be tabled in Parliament.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources