Transpower plan rebuild for Hawke's Bay substation damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle
Transpower insists residents' power supply will not be interrupted during construction.
Photo:
Supplied / Transpower
The national grid operator plans a $47 million rebuild for a cyclone-damaged substation in Hawke's Bay.
Transpower has submitted a proposal to the Commerce Commission to rebuild the Redclyffe substation near Napier, which was flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.
The work would involve a rebuild of the main 220-kilovolt switchyard on the existing site and raising essential equipment to avoid potential future flooding.
"After Cyclone Gabrielle, we made a commitment to the people of Hawke's Bay to make their region's power supply more resilient to extreme weather and seismic events," Transpower grid development executive general manager Matt Webb said.
"Residents can be confident that our interim upgrades have protected their power supply, and the work we're proposing now will make Redclyffe substation flood resilient to a 1-in-450-year flooding event and much more resilient to earthquakes."
New Zealand's electricity regulations require the Commerce Commission to approve Transpower's work plans.
Transpower said, after regulatory approval, work would likely start in October next year and finish by December 2027.
Webb said the work would not affect local electricity supply.
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