Contact spokesman Pattrick Smellie and Genesis spokeswoman Carolyn Vavasour today confirmed to EnergyReview.Net that their companies had copies of the study but declined to discuss its contents.

“We are not showing our hand in any way at present and will be analysing the report before we make any public comment,” said Smellie.

“We have received our copy and are digesting it; we may be able to say something about it within a few weeks,” said Vavasour.

Last October Contact and Genesis announced they were teaming up to investigate the feasibility of an LNG receiving facility and in January appointed Kellogg Brown & Root and Poten & Partners to lead studies on the logistics and marketing of importing LNG into New Zealand.

While Contact and Genesis are yet to comment on the contents of the report it is understood - as previously reported by ERN - that New Plymouth and Marsden Point are considered top sites for any LNG receiving facility, primarily because of their deep harbours and experience in handling petroleum products.

Marsden Point is relatively close to the large Auckland-Waikato market, and another pipeline could easily be laid alongside the existing products pipeline to Auckland. New Plymouth, however, is equidistant between Auckland-Waikato and Wellington-Manawatu-Horowhenua and Taranaki’s existing infrastructure is suitable for piping any regasified LNG north or south.

It is also known Shell had been actively investigating LNG as an energy option since it last year signalled an effective end to exploration in this country. It considers other sites, in and around Auckland, may also be feasible for an LNG receiving facility.

Meanwhile, Contact has launched a multimedia campaign to educate kiwis on the energy options facing this country - hydro, natural gas, LNG, coal, geothermal, wind, solar, bio-mass and tidal-wave power.

“New Zealanders clearly want a secure electricity supply that meets their needs at home and at work to maintain the lifestyles, jobs and opportunities that we all expect,” said Contact chief executive Steve Barrett. “Equally important for most people is an electricity supply that does least possible damage to the environment and at a price that is as affordable as possible.

“Achieving all three of these aims to everyone’s complete satisfaction is almost certainly impossible. However, it is Contact’s job to contribute to finding the best possible balance between these competing, legitimate expectations.”

The campaign does not advocate any preferred outcomes, but highlights the possible upsides and downsides of each option.

“The challenge will be ensuring that we find the best possible mix from the range of available options, rather than assuming that there will be single solutions to this complex set of challenges. Likewise, we need to take care before ruling out options that could contribute to meeting our energy needs,” Barrett added.