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Work is underway to get power generated at the Manapouri hydro dam in Southland to the rest of the country.
Rio Tinto announced in July it would close its Southland-based Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, costing the region over a thousand jobs, but a raft of election promises may delay its closure.
Yesterday Labour announced a plan to extend the life of the smelter by three to five years if elected.
Spokesperson Megan Woods says her party's plan buys time to help the community transition.