Tauhei Solar 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).
Project ID
2021-068
Applicant
Harmony Energy NZ Limited
Project summary
To construct and operate a solar farm to supply electricity to the national grid comprising:
- solar panels, arrays, mounting structures and poles
- a power station and 2 sub-stations
- ancillary buildings, structures, infrastructure and underground electricity cables
- landscaping, enhancing biodiversity corridors and developing a 7-hectare wetland
- underground cabling from the solar farm to the boundary of the Waihou substation.
Location
Privately owned land and parts of the Mikkelsen Road and O’Donoghue Road reserves in Te Aroha West, Waikato
Referred projects order
Schedule 42 to the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Referred Projects Order 2020 [New Zealand Legislation website]
The project will:
- help to achieve the purpose of the Act
- generate approximately 568 full-time equivalent jobs in engineering, design and construction over a 2-year period and approximately 7 full-time equivalent permanent jobs
- provide infrastructure to contribute to improving economic and employment outcomes
- assist New Zealand’s efforts to mitigate climate change and transition more quickly to a low-greenhouse-gas-emitting economy by increasing renewable energy generation
- likely progress faster than would otherwise be the case under the Resource Management Act 1991 standard processes.
Any actual and potential effects on the environment, and proposed mitigation measures, 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, 1.3 MB]