[2] Marsden B was built as an oil-fired plant but never commissioned, due to rising oil prices and cheaper alternatives available from natural gas and from the hydroelectric generation of the South Island.

A program of extended maintenance was undertaken with the major components being "preserved" with anti-rust chemical coatings and regular inspection.

This "mothballing" was put into place as an economy measure should demand ever make its use an economical proposition.

At various times, some items of auxiliary equipment were removed and relocated to other power stations around the country.

[4] The following is a timeline of the events associated with the proposed coal-fired reactivation:[citation needed] In 2009, Mighty River Power sold the Marsden B plant for $20 million to an Indian company, United Telecom.