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Lake Pukaki Photo: Susan Rebergen Meridian believes it's increasingly unlikely generators will have to dip into the water supply reserves in the hydro lakes. Power supplies and prices are under threat because of low lake levels. But Transpower is making it easier for generators to access reserves in some lakes from next month. On Thursday, it announced generators can take more water from lakes Pūkaki, Tekapo (Takapō) and Hāwea during September and October if needed, to help stave off an electricity shortage. Meridian spokesperson Chris Ewers said there has been some welcome rain over the past week and more is forecast. He said Meridian also has six wind farms that regularly provide 25 percent of power it needs and higher winds are also forecast. Ewers added the company is reasonably con...

The historic Tui Brewery building in Mangatainoka. Photo: RNZ / Denise Garland The iconic Tui brewery in the Tararua township of Mangatainoka is no longer producing any beer, after more than 130 years. Beer has been brewed at the Mangatainoka site since 1889. DB Breweries, which owns the Tui brand, made the decision to close the main production plant in 2015, but installed a smaller, modern brewery in order to continue to supply its taproom and local community with specialty brews. But Marketing Director at DB Breweries, Fraser Shrimpton, has now confirmed it stopped brewing at Mangatainoka three years ago. "The [Covid-19] pandemic restrictions through 2020 and 2021 largely prevented DB from operating the brewery and we shifted the remainder of this production to our Timaru and Auckland...