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Meridian was one of three electricity companies formed from the break-up of the [[Electricity Corporation of New Zealand]] (ECNZ) in 1998–99, taking over the Waitaki River and the Manapouri hydro schemes. Originally a [[state-owned enterprise]] wholly owned by the New Zealand Government, the company was partially [[privatisation|privatised]] in October 2013 by the [[Fifth National Government of New Zealand|Fifth National Government]], with the government retaining a 51.02% shareholding.
Today, Meridian operates seven hydroelectric power stations and one
== History ==
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* Southern Hemisphere Winter 2003 – Low hydro inflows and storage levels again resulted in exceptional wholesale market spot prices. As a consequence, the retailers [[TrustPower]] and [[Freshstart]] abandoned market areas where they had no generation. This strengthened Meridian's dominance of the South Island customer-base.
* 29 March 2004 – Meridian cancelled [[Project Aqua]], a controversial 524 MW power scheme for six dams and a man-made [[canal]] on the Lower [[Waitaki River]] in [[North Otago]]. The scheme allegedly represented the last opportunity for large-scale hydroelectric development of this magnitude in New Zealand. Abandoning the venture cost Meridian NZ$38.7 million. – Meridian stopped the scheme because of uncertainty over rights to use the water, growing costs, and the difficulties and uncertainties with obtaining consents under the [[Resource Management Act 1991|Resource Management Act]] legislation. In July 2004, Meridian announced an independent audit of the abandoned scheme.
* 9 December 2004 – then Prime Minister [[Helen Clark]] officially opened the [[Te Āpiti
* 2 June 2005 – Meridian announced a proposal to develop a
* 30 November 2005 – Meridian completed the sale of its Australian operation, ''Southern Hydro'', for A$1.42 billion (NZ$1.52 billion) to [[Australian Gas Light Company]]. Meridian had steadily expanded and upgraded its assets in Australia since purchase, including commissioning a 91 MW
* 8 June 2007 – The [[White Hill
* 29 April 2009 – Prime Minister [[John Key]] officially turns on the first 15 turbines on the [[Project West Wind|West Wind]] wind farm.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0904/S00574.htm|title=West Wind Powers Wellington|date=29 April 2009|publisher=NZ Wind Energy Association}}</ref>
* 1 June 2011 – The sale of Meridian Energy's Tekapo A and Tekapo B hydroelectric power stations to [[Genesis Power|Genesis Energy]] took effect. The sale was part of a package of government reforms aimed at improving the electricity sector.<ref name=powergen160511>
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