The project of setting up a hydro electric power station of Westport has been withdrawn by Meridian. The Department of Conservation, in response, has submitted an application to the Environment Court to put its plea against the proposal on hold.

DOC realized that there wasn't any point in wasting time on the issue, so he had simply been granted resource consent. He'd been refused Meridian access to the Mokihinui River and was annoyed at it. Well, with this, an amended proposal in the near future is understood to come up by Meridian.

Meridian Chief Executive, Tim Lusk said, "Taking the time to carefully work through these issues before advancing to the Environment Court is the most logical and cost effective way of simplifying a complicated process for all concerned".

Earlier, Meridian Energy and the Department of Conservation (DOC) had signed a mutual letter in the Environment Court, asking for the appeals regarding the Mokihinui hydro proposal be put on hold. It also had the support of the Buller District and West Coast Regional Councils.

These were those appeals that concerned the decision by the councils to endow some resource consents for a new hydro electric plant on the Mokihinui River. This deal comprised of creating a 14 km-long reservoir and an 85m elevated dam.