As one of your customers, I am disappointed to learn that, due to pressure from other power companies, you are considering reversing your decision to close New Zealand’s last big coal-fired power station at Huntly.

I am asking you to hold firm to your decision and close the Huntly coal-fired power station in 2018, as planned.

Climate pollution and the source of my energy are of great importance to me. I was very pleased when you announced last year that you would stop burning coal at Huntly. Reversing this decision would be an enormous let down to me and many other customers.

As I’m sure you’re aware, the Huntly coal burning unit is responsible for up to 5% of our country’s climate pollution. To keep it open is unacceptable in 2016, when world leaders have just signed a historic climate deal agreeing to end the use of climate damaging fuels like coal.

All around the world, from the U.S. and U.K. to China and India, people are turning away from dirty coal to clean energy. Investing millions of dollars to keep Huntly burning this outdated fuel will take our country backwards.

As your customer, I ask you instead to move into the 21^st Century and help make New Zealand a leader in clean, renewable energy. We have almost 4,000 megawatts of consented renewable generation ready and waiting to be built. Now is the time to invest in the future, not drag New Zealand back to the past.