9 July 2020 - Mercury notes Rio Tinto's announcement to wind-down operations at New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited (NZAS) with expected closure in August 2021.

Mercury reiterates previously made statements that it is relatively well placed to respond to the decision to close the smelter, with all of its renewable generation assets in the North Island close to load centres and largely free of major transmission constraints as a consequence of reduced South Island electricity demand.

Mercury is confident that the sector will adapt to the closure of the smelter, invest in new transmission and develop new electricity demand to rebalance New Zealand's electricity system.

For further information:

Howard Thomas
General Counsel and Company Secretary
Mercury NZ Limited

For investor relations queries, please contact:
Tim Thompson
Head of Treasury and Investor Relations
0275 173 470

For media relations queries, please contact:
Craig Dowling
Head of Communications
027 210 5337

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Mercury NZ Limited published this content on 09 July 2020 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 09 July 2020 07:42:03 UTC