National is promising to facilitate negotiations over the Tiwai Point aluminum smelter between Rio Tinto, power companies and Transpower - in a bid to save jobs currently on the chopping block.
National Party leader Judith Collins said she "recognises the need to support existing employment opportunities and protect the 2260 jobs, both at Tiwai and in the wider community, from the hard close of the smelter on August 31st, 2021".
Ms Collins said the election promise negotiations would achieve "a more cost competitive environment".
"Our aim is to create a commercially viable outcome that would keep the smelter in operation for at least the next five years while preparing Southland to lessen the severity of the smelter's hard-closure."
Ms Collins said she had an "understanding that the owners of the Manapouri Power Station - Meridian Energy - have offered a positive electricity price to Rio Tinto, based on Meridian’s potential losses of tens of millions of dollars a year if there is a drop-dead date for closure of the smelter".
"Based on this, we understand that a commercial deal could be reached.
"In exchange for this deal, we would require a plan from Rio Tinto for the clean-up of the site and dealing with the waste when it closes."
In July, Resources Minister Megan Woods said the "potential closure of Tiwai Point’s aluminum smelter provides a near-term opportunity to use some of that electricity for switching out coal boilers to low emission options", when announcing a $70 million boost to increase electrification of industrial and process heat in the lower South Island.
Rio Tinto, the smelter’s owner, announced last week it would close the plant in August next year. The announcement put more than 1000 jobs on the line.
Last year, Rio Tinto said they were carrying out a strategic review of the site, pointing to "market conditions and high electricity costs".
Chief executive Alf Barrios said at the time that aluminium prices were at a historical low.
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