Meridian Energy has been granted consents to use water from the lower Waitaki River for its North Bank Tunnel Hydro Electricity project.
The interim decision was issued by commissioners for the consenting body Environment Canterbury on Tuesday.
Meridian has been granted four resource consents to divert, take, use and discharge water from the lower Waitaki.
The proposal would involve removing the water from Lake Waitaki, passing it through a tunnel and power station and then discharging it into the Waitaki River.
Hearings began in August last year with 200 submitters asking to be heard.
The interim decision is subject to the parties finalising some consent conditions.
Two days have been set down for those discussions later in December.
