Meridian programme to boost economy, employment

Meridian development programme to boost economy, employment

State-owned power company Meridian Energy is set to provide a major boost to economic activity and local employment as its billion dollar-plus development programme gathers pace.

Chief Executive Tim Lusk says as the company approaches the first-power milestone at its world-leading windfarm project on Wellington’s west coast, it is looking to gear up for a series of major new construction projects.

They include the Te Uku windfarm project – a 64-megawatt (MW) development near Raglan which has received planning consent – and up to four other large windfarm or hydro projects which are expected to emerge from the consenting process over the course of the coming year.

“Our West Wind project on the hills behind Wellington is a prime example of the kind of projects we will be undertaking. These are large-scale developments, worth hundreds of millions of dollars each and which employ large numbers of local contractors and staff.

“West Wind has been a challenging project with its difficult terrain, and the need to ship large pieces of equipment to the site over Cook Strait But it has been a superb demonstration of how you can bring engineering know-how and good old-fashioned Kiwi ingenuity to bear to achieve a great result.

Mr Lusk says first power will be generated at West Wind in mid-April, and the whole 142 MW project, which will power the equivalent of 70,000 average homes, will be fully on stream by the end of the year.

“While we are completing that project, we expect to be getting under way at Te Uku mid-year. In addition we expect to receive consent for the Central Wind project in the central North Island, and possibly also Mill Creek, another large-scale wind farm near Wellington.”

Meridian also has the 630 MW Project Hayes windfarm project in Central Otago before the Environment Court, is expecting an initial decision on the Mokihinui hydro project on the West Coast, and has received initial consent for its planned tunnel-based hydro project on the North Bank of the lower Waitaki River.

As well as providing employment and other economic benefits in the construction phase, Meridian’s renewable energy projects will be a major asset for New Zealand as it seeks to secure reliable electricity supplies for future economic and social development, Mr Lusk says.

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