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National environmental standards for electricity transmission

The Ministry for the Environment is currently developing two national environmental standards for electricity transmission (NES), namely the transmission activities NES and the transmission risks NES. The proposed national environmental standards arose as part of an exercise to provide national guidance and direction for managing infrastructure. The Ministry investigated standards and other options for providing national direction.

Report on progress

The Ministry for the Environment has reported back to the Cabinet on development of national environmental standards for electricity transmission. The report back gives an overview of the submissions received on the original proposals for standards:

What happens now?

The Ministry has asked selected local and regional councils to assist in reworking the proposed national environmental standard for transmission activities. This proposed standard sets out a framework of permitted activities and consent requirements for Transpower for operation, maintenance and upgrading of existing transmission lines. Recommendations will be made in August 2008.

For the proposed transmission risks NES, the Ministry for the Environment is considering the proposed standards in the light of:

the ability to assist councils implement the National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission within the four-year timeframe,
the comments made by submitters on the proposals.

After analysing the submissions received, the Ministry for the Environment will be further engaging with local government, central government agencies and key stakeholders to assess whether a national environmental standard is the correct tool to address the risks to and from transmission lines.

Aim of the proposed standards

The proposed national environmental standards could complement the National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission, which was gazetted on 13 March 2008, and took effect on 10 April 2008. The standards would do this by providing national consistency in how electricity transmission activities are managed, assisting councils in implementing the NPS rules, and providing for an increased national security of supply by protecting the national grid.

The scope of the proposed standards

One of the proposed standards sets out a framework for managing the environmental effects of the operation, maintenance and enhancement of the national grid (but excludes the construction of new transmission lines).

The other proposed standard relates to controlling activities which could damage the national grid or put it at risk.

For more information about the proposed standards please refer to:

Background to the standards

A discussion document setting out details of the proposed national environmental standards for electricity transmission was released for public comment on 13 October 2007. Public notices of the submission period were placed in major newspapers on the same day.

Media release: New electricity transmission standards proposed

During the submission period four public workshops were held in Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch and Wellington between 15-24 October 2007.

The submission period closed on 30 November 2007. The Ministry for the Environment received eighty-four submissions, and the issues raised are reflected in the summary of submissions.

Summary of submissions

The summary of submissions presents an overview of the comments received on the two proposed national environmental standards for electricity transmission.

Proposed National Environmental Standards on Electricity Transmission – report on submissions

This report provides a concise summary of the views expressed in submissions. It does not analyse those views or make recommendations in response to the submissions, as this will be done in a separate report.