By THORNE, Dylan THE growing popularity of heat pumps had contributed to a spate of massive power bills in the south, Contact Energy said yesterday. The company this week investigated complaints from southern customers about skyrocketing bills, including several that had jumped more than $500.

By PULLAR-STRECKER Tom CONTACT ENERGY has hired IBM to replace its core software systems in a deal understood to be worth about $60 million. Sources say the project will create jobs for about 140 contractors.

Some Contact Energy customers in Nelson will have to pay 7 percent more for their power from next Tuesday. Contact spokesman Jonathan Hill said today the price hike applied to consumers who were supplied electricity through Nelson Electricity Ltd.

By FERGUSON, Lin in Queenstown RESOURCE consent hearings start at the Edgewater Resort, in Wanaka, today into Contact Energy's proposed electricity generation project at the Hawea dam control gates near Wanaka.

Presenter Jonathan Hill joined ITV Wales staff donning gloves and helping clear a beach of litter. Around 20 staff from the Welsh TV channel, including ITV Wales managing director Roger Lewis, news producers and other workers set about cleaning Aberthaw beach, near Barry.