Southland Wind Farm

This project has been referred to an expert consenting panel for fast-track consenting under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting Act 2020).

Last updated:

Project ID

2023-166

Applicant

Contact Energy Limited

Project summary

To construct and operate a wind farm on approximately 5,500 hectares of land and to connect to and supply electricity to the national grid. The wind farm will comprise up to 55 wind turbines with blade tip heights up to 220 metres high and will have an approximate installed capacity of 230–300 Megawatt peak. Ancillary activities for the wind farm will also occur on approximately 90 hectares of land at 16 Davidson Road East, Gore.

The project includes:

  • construction of infrastructure and associated structures including internal roads, turbine foundations and hard stand areas, underground electrical cables, two meteorological masts approximately 140 metres high, a substation, transformers, and ancillary buildings including concrete batching plants, a machinery workshop, workers accommodation, and temporary laydown areas
  • construction of a 220 kV transmission line, approximately 15–17 kilometres long with up to 50 pylons, extending north along one of three possible routes from the proposed wind farm to a switching station to connect to the existing 220kV Transpower New Zealand Limited (Transpower) North Makarewa-Three Mile Hill A Circuit
  • construction of an access road connecting 16 Davidson Road East, Gore, to the wind farm site
  • minor improvement works within the State Highway 1, 93 and 98, and Kaiwera Road and Kaiwera Downs Road road reserves to enable transportation of the wind turbines.

Location

248 and 794 Venlaw Road, and 232 Campbell Road, Oware, Southland.

Referred projects order

Schedule 105 to the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Referred Projects Order 2020 [New Zealand Legislation website]

Reasons for decision

The project will:

  • generate employment by providing approximately 160-240 direct full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs over a 2-year construction period, and 10–14 on-going FTE jobs once construction is complete
  • provide infrastructure that will contribute to improving economic and employment outcomes
  • contribute to New Zealand’s efforts to mitigate climate change and transition more quickly to a low emissions economy by increasing New Zealand’s renewable energy generation
  • progress faster than would otherwise be the case under standard Resource Management Act 1991 process.

Any actual and potential effects on the environment, and proposed measures to avoid, remedy, mitigate, offset, or compensate for any adverse effects, can be appropriately tested by an expert consenting panel against Part 2 of the Resource Management Act 1991 and the purpose of the Act.

Section 17 report

Section 17 report [PDF, 986 KB]

Proactive release of application and decision documents

All supporting documents