Te Rere Hau Wind Farm Repowering
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
2021-077
Applicant
NZ Windfarms Limited
Project summary
To redevelop and expand the existing Te Rere Hau wind farm by:
- removing 97 2-blade, 47-metre-high turbines
- installing 30 3-blade, 162-metre-high turbines
- constructing associated infrastructure, including –
- upgrading the existing underground transmission line connecting the wind farm to the national electricity grid, or
- installing a new overhead transmission line.
Location
Ridgelines of the Tararua Range north of the Pahiatua Aokautere Road, approximately 11 kilometres south-east of Palmerston North.
Referred projects order
Schedule 50 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
- provide infrastructure to improve economic, employment and environmental outcomes
- generate employment by providing approximately 197 direct full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs over a 3-year construction period, and 40 ongoing direct FTE jobs once construction is complete
- contribute to New Zealand’s efforts to mitigate climate change and to transition more quickly to an economy of low greenhouse gas emissions by increasing New Zealand’s total amount of renewable energy generation
- likely progress faster than would otherwise be the case under standard Resource Management Act 1991 consenting processes.
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, 920 KB]