Electricity upgrade in pipeline

Increasing demand for power in the lower Waitaki is forcing Transpower to upgrade the area's electricity supply.

Transpower communications manager Rebecca Wilson said the state-owned enterprise needed to increase the capability of its existing 110kV network south of Timaru, to Oamaru and up to the Waitaki Power Station to cope with projected growth in the area.

"Over the past two years, Alpine Energy and Network Waitaki have identified significant new developments planned in the lower Waitaki Valley, including irrigation, new dairy farms, and factories," Ms Wilson said. "This new development has the potential to treble electricity demand in the region over the next 10 years."

Transpower is expected to announce within weeks a shortlist of upgrade options and has been working with community stakeholders and Alpine Energy and Network Waitaki for more than a year to come up with a solution.

Initial cost estimates put the project between $10 million and $20m.

Ms Wilson said whatever upgrade option was selected would ensure future electricity demand could be met.

Transpower presented four options at a forum in Waimate in December, but was yet to produce a final list.

Once an official list was announced, it would approach potentially affected landowners.

"All options have improvements to existing Transpower lines and two options have a new line as well. It's important we work with landowners as well as the wider community and local industries," Ms Wilson said.

Dates for each stage of the project had not been set, however she said Transpower hoped to produce the official shortlist within three weeks.

The shortlist would go out for consultation, with a final decision to be made in April and submitted to the Electricity Commission for approval.

- © Fairfax NZ News