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ELECTRICITY PLANNING IN TASMANIA AND NEW ZEALAND: POLITICAL PROCESSES AND THE TECHNOLOGICAL IMPERATIVE
Author(s) -
Kellow Aynsley
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
australian journal of public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-8500
pISSN - 0313-6647
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8500.1986.tb01034.x
Subject(s) - technocracy , electricity , politics , process (computing) , government (linguistics) , electricity generation , business , mains electricity , industrial organization , economics , political science , engineering , power (physics) , computer science , law , electrical engineering , quantum mechanics , voltage , operating system , linguistics , philosophy , physics
This paper considers but rejects a thesis that there is some sort of ‘technological imperative’ in operation in the process of electricity planning which requires the integration of electricity generating systems with large industrial consumers. It is argued that there is nothing about the technical features of electricity generation and supply that does not translate into costs and benefits (which can be subsequently paid, enjoyed or ignored by decision‐makers). Instead a Galbraithian thesis of technocracy is examined, but this is found to be insufficient to explain fully the electricity planning process in Australia and New Zealand and the relationship of that process to electricity‐intensive industry. After examining cases of forecasting and planning in New Zealand and Tasmania (both predominantly reliant on intensive hydro‐electric systems), it is concluded that a full appreciation requires an understanding of the relationship between government and business, a relationship which is rooted long ago in the colonial origins of both countries.