Mr Collinge was Chairman of one of the then largest local authorities in the country for an unusually long period of 12 years -from 1980 until its cessation in 1992 -and a Board member for three years prior to that. The Auckland Electric Power Board (AEPB) was the largest Power Board, distributing approximately 1/6thof New Zealand’s electricity. In 1992, it had approximately 230,000 consumers and 1,200 employees [page 8]. At that time, it was both a lines company and an energy supplier (now owned by Vector and Mercury Energy respectively) with electricity generation emerging. Board membership was elected triennially by members of the public. The members voted annually for the Chairman and Mr Collinge was elected Chairman on 12 successive occasions until its cessation.
The Board was noted for many things during his term: for its contribution to Auckland industry (eg in its relatively favourable prices to and support of industrial/commercial/rural business consumers); its support of the community (eg in lighting key public areas at AEPB cost); its regard and commitment to aesthetics, the environment and safety (eg in the undergrounding of power reticulation in the central city and major public areas); its emphasis on efficiency in electricity usage (eg in its domestic and industrial advisory services); its progressiveness (in its support of rationalisation in the industry); its fostering of reticulation in rural New Zealand (by support and subsidy); its harmony in industrial relations (eg in the absence of strikes during that period); transparency and openness in its affairs; and its consumer orientation (eg in low prices, round the clock services and security of supply).
Asa leading energy journalist said later ‘it kept Auckland’s lights burning, its air conditioners chilling, its office lifts moving and its stoves cooking’ [page 28]). During the twelve years, the Board evolved to become recognised, for example by the Business Editor of the New Zealand Herald, as ‘the most go ahead in the country’ [at page 270].
(a)Undergrounding of Unsightly Electricity Reticulation: A project of significance was the removal of much of the unsightly old overhead reticulation in Auckland. This was carried out as a priority in public areas, the central city, main roads (the first being Parnell Road), the shoreline (eg Tamaki Drive along its length) and in new subdivisions [eg pages 1, 4, 6, 270]. These greatly enhanced the visual environment in Auckland -theChairman of the Auckland City Council Works Committee, supporting the initiative, said that ‘Undergrounding brings huge benefits in a visual sense to Auckland. It gets rid of all the pollution of wires and transforms the appearance of the place’ [page 6]. A Herald editorial confirms this, referring to ‘the hideous posts and wirescape’ and saying that ‘removal of the longstanding eyesore of overhead wiring...deserves the City’s backing and its thanks’ [page1]. Sadly, the remainder of Mr Collinge’s programme in 1984 [page 270] to have all of Auckland undergrounded in 40 years was disrupted when it was discontinued by Mercury Energy in 1999 and ultimately replaced with a token scheme only [page 6].
(b)Lighting of Prominent Features: Mr Collinge was also known for his support of the community in lighting matters, the Board lighting at its cost Auckland features such as the Aotea Centre, the Auckland Museum, the Obelisk One Tree Hill, St Mary’s Cathedral, Tamaki Drive and Bastion Point and which remain today. This was in part to emphasise the qualities and advantages of lighting but also to add to the appeal of Auckland and to enhance security [pages 1-5]. Another Herald Editorial finds this ‘selective floodlighting visually stunning...and can assume an unexpected grandeur when illuminated against the darkened backdrop of the night’ and as a means of deterring vandalism and crime [page 2]. In the Herald’s view these floodlit features, tastefully done, were ‘a splendid enhancement to the Auckland scene’ [page 1].
(c)First Electricity Utilisation Centre for Businesses: Another initiative was the opening of the first Electricity Utilisation Centre, described as ‘a leading step’ [page 19]-itemphasised the wise use of electricity with the focus on its business users. The purpose was to foster the use of electricity in industrial processes and thereby to further assist its business customers (which took 55% of the Board’s load in the largest industrial area in the country). It provided technical and practical assistance and advisory services to the business community –commercial, industrial and rural. It promoted efficiency in electrical usage, facilitated cost savings to the Board and consumers, advanced the latest technology and provided a nucleus for developing further services from electricity technology [pages 17,18,19]. As Mr Collinge said, it ‘was part of the Board’s move towards becoming more commercially orientated and working closely with its consumers’ [page 17]. It was opened by the Mayor Dame Cath Tizard and Sir James Fletcher and was ‘the first of its kind in New Zealand’ [at page 17].
(d)Generation Projects:Under his leadership, there also developed a constant search for generation of electricity to provide for much needed supply (during the time of electricity shortages) and so as to produce a ‘climate of contestability’ and local independence from the monopoly supplier [page 8]. The Greenmount and Rosedale Power Stations, using landfill gas, are excellent examples of completed projects with strong environmental benefits –they were described by the Energy Reporter of the NZ Herald as ‘an important first commercial venture arising from electricity deregulation’ [page 7]. Further, another project of Mr Collinge, the 160 megawatt combined cycle gas fired station at Southdown (combining both gas and steam generation in tandem), was approved in principle and substantially planned –the combined cycle plant being ‘significantly more efficient than conventional methods’ and it was also ‘the first of its type in NZ’ [pages 8, 12]. Another project which he proposed, planned and assisted came to fruition later -the 275 megawatt Taranaki combined cycle power station [pages 9, 10].
(e)Protecting Consumers: Given that the AEPB was a public body operated for its consumers, Mr Collinge was an active champion for their interests [pages 12-16, 272]. In 1992, he became a ‘white knight’ and local ‘hero’ applauded and cheered at various public meetings [pages 22, 23, 28] when he opposed a proposal for restructuring the Board whereby 25% of the shares would control the Board and the proposed company (Mercury Energy Limited). AsMr Collinge said, under the plan the controlling directors of the 25% shareholding were ‘self appointed’, had the sole power of appointment and replacement of directors and hence were ‘answerable to nobody but themselves’. While supportive of commercialization [pages 23, 28, 29, 34], he said that the public ownership of the Board was thereby ‘hijacked’ by non elected members [eg pages 20, 21, 34]. His opposition enjoyed ‘virtually unanimous backing from consumers, industry via the Chamber of Commerce and Councils, the plan being described for example by an Evening Post Editorial as ‘extraordinary’, ‘bizarre andpatently inequitable’ [eg page 23]. Notwithstanding the extent of this opposition, the restructuring proposal was implemented and resulted in the public losing control of the Board. His dissent cost Mr Collinge the Chairmanship and seat on the Board,but won him the widespread respect of the community [eg pages 21-23, 28, 34].
(f)Rectification of CBD Blackouts:As a result, in 1992, Mercury Energy Limited was created under the new plan and structure as successor to the AEPB [page 29]. At a prior public inquiry into the restructuring proposal in that year, Mr Collinge warned that ‘There will be insufficient accountability to the public and the public’s interest will be placed in jeopardy’. In this he included as being at risk ‘the safe reliable supply of electricity to the local community’. Six years later, this proved correct when the Auckland CBD Blackouts occurred. As David McLoughlin, an experienced energy reporter, writing in North South [pages 27-32] said this ‘was almost psychic’ and ‘exactly what John Collinge predicted would happen in 1992’ [page 29]. Upon the CBD Blackouts in 1998, Mr Collinge was quickly re-appointed to the Board of Mercury (as was said at the time, ‘who better to ask the hard questions than John Collinge?’) [page 30] and upon his re-appointment as a directorhe playeda central role in its aftermath and recovery [pages 33, 35].
At a time when membership of local authorities was considered to be a public service with token remuneration only, Mr Collinge’s ideas and efforts and close personal attention and involvement was a major factor in the high regard in which the Power Board was held -as commercially aware, community oriented, progressive and innovative. As the Business Editor of the Herald said ‘he turned the Auckland Electric Power Board into the most go ahead in the country’ [page 270].