By Pattrick Smellie
Fonterra is expecting to waste about $20 million of milk a day after being forced to close 15 of its 17 processing sites in the upper North Island following a break in the Maui gas pipeline north of New Plymouth.
The gas emergency has gas resellers scrambling to alert all commercial industrial customers, including hospitals, schools and essential services to curtail gas use immediately from the King County northwards, and including the Bay of Plenty.
The gas pipe breakdown couldn’t come at a worse time for Fonterra farmers, who are at the height of a record “spring flush”, as the new milking season is known in the industry.
A Fonterra spokesman said the dairy cooperative was collecting about 35 million litres of milk daily in the affected areas, and only had capacity to process around five million litres at its Waitoa and Te Awamutu plants, which are able to run on coal for milk processing.
Another 15 sites, including the giant Lichfield plant, were closed in the course of the day.
While other North Island plant could theoretically take some of the overflow, all were currently operating at peak capacity, so farmers were being contacted about dumping raw milk on their own land in the absence of processing facilities.
TVNZ reports that Vector, in charge of repairing the Maui pipeline, has said it will be unable to begin excavation at the sight of the serious leak before tomorrow.
While householders are being urged to limit their gas use, they are not yet subject to the gas curtailment order that has gone out to all other commercial, industrial and public service gas users, from restaurants through to glass manufacturers.
(BusinessDesk)
4 Comments
PM – time to slaughter the monster before it is eating us.
What we see coming are more “man made disasters”, even catastrophes worldwide - we are not in control of our infrastructure - quality standards are deteriorating, because of cost cutting policies.
Just adding up minor "man made accidents" are a nightmare in correlation to the current and upcoming situation. There is simply no money available to maintain infrastructure or even repair them properly.
…and our politicians are still advocating growth - here in NZ drilling, mining, excessive farming etc. - risky businesses with the potential to destroy societies.
How long until another nuclear power plant blows up, another Gulf of Mexico, Bhopal, etc ?
We welcome your comments below. If you are not already registered, please register to comment.
Remember we welcome robust, respectful and insightful debate. We don't welcome abusive or defamatory comments and will de-register those repeatedly making such comments. Our current comment policy is here.