Transpower To Accelerate Grid Maintenance

Media release
12 February 2009
Transpower To Accelerate Grid Maintenance Programme

A $50 million upgrade programme to maintain and strengthen structures on the National Grid is to be accelerated. The programme will bring forward required maintenance work that had been planned over the next ten years.

Work will focus on tower maintenance, civil work and substation maintenance. The work is predominantly in rural New Zealand, and is nationwide.

“This is essential maintenance work on our existing towers and foundations, rather than a major new project” says Dr Patrick Strange, CEO of Transpower. “But it is important work for the Grid.

“Advancing these works makes sound business sense for Transpower, since there are major cost savings and synergies in doing the work as part of one programme.

“Communication with landowners where these assets are located is an integral part of the maintenance work, so that we can undertake the work at a time that causes minimal disruption.

“Our approach to this maintenance will mean less disruption for landowners in the long term,” says Dr Strange. “We will be in contact with landowners to discuss the best timing of the programme in each area, so as to minimise inconvenience."

The work will be undertaken as part of Transpower’s maintenance capital, which is subject to oversight by the Commerce Commission.

The accelerated maintenance is additional and separate to Transpower’s intensive programme of capital work.

“We have over $3.8 billion worth of projects to reinforce the National Grid that have either commenced construction or are in the planning stages, and we have the resources to do both well,” says Dr Strange.

ENDS

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