Construction on new wind farm near Gore will begin in October
Tuesday, 13 September 2022
Mercury has signed the contracts and committed to a new $115 million wind farm near Gore.
The Kaiwera Downs wind farm will initially have 10 turbines built, enough to power an estimated 20,000 homes or 66,000 electric vehicles.
The wind farm has been in the pipeline for about 15 years, and Tuesday’s announcement is only for stage one of the project.
Once built, the turbines will stand 145 metres tall from base to turbine tip.
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In an announcement to the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) on Tuesday morning, Mercury said construction crews were expected to start in October, with the project expected to take a year.
Mercury chief executive Vince Hawksworth said the 43-megawatt farm brought the company’s investment in new renewable generation to almost $600 million since 2019.
“In less than 12 months, from having no operating wind generation, Mercury has become New Zealand’s largest wind generator,” he said.
“This $115m project to build Stage One at Kaiwera Downs comes as we near completion of our $480m Turitea Wind Farm in the Manawatū.”
“Our decision to proceed with Kaiwera Downs is an exciting next step, and by no means the last.”
A second stage will complete the 240-megawatt farm that has been consented on the site.
Hawksworth said the country was on track for over 90% renewable electricity in the next three to five years.
“The Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan sent a clear signal that collective effort across the electricity sector is needed towards the goal of decarbonising the economy,” Hawksworth said.
“From electrification of New Zealand’s transport fleet to greater electrification of industrial processes, a reliable, low carbon, and affordable electricity system underpins many of our country’s pathways to address climate change,” said Mr Hawksworth.
Vestas would supply the turbines and maintain the wind farm under a 30-year agreement and PowerNet would construct a new 33 kilovolt lines to the Gore substation.