A Court of Appeal decision today allows the Commerce Commission's court action against the Christchurch-based power company Southpower to continue on schedule.

Commission General Manager John Feil said that the trial is due to start on June 22 in the Christchurch High Court and is allocated six weeks.

On March 5 last year the Commission filed its statement of claim in the High Court alleging that Southpower had breached the Commerce Act by impeding competition for electricity consumers in its region.

In the Court of Appeal Southpower challenged the statement of claim applying to have some allegations struck out and seeking more detail on others. In an oral decision today a five-member bench of the Court of Appeal ended the long running procedural wrangle about the Commission's statement of claim by rejecting Southpower's arguments and dismissing its application.

Media contact: Commerce Act Manager Jo Bransgrove

Phone work (04) 498 0958

Communications Officer Vincent Cholewa

Phone work (04) 498 0920

Commission media releases can be viewed on its web site www.comcom.govt.nz