Waitahora wind farm

Introduction

New Zealand’s demand for energy is growing strongly at about two per cent per annum. The country needs new electricity generation and, with concern growing about the effects of climate change, that electricity increasingly needs to come from renewable sources.

Contact Energy is committed to developing environmentally friendly renewable generation projects. Contact’s Waitahora wind farm is one of the company’s two proposed wind farm developments – the other is Hauauru ma raki in the Waikato. About Hauauru ma raki

If consented, the Waitahora project will be located in the Puketoi Range, near Dannevirke in Southern Hawke’s Bay. Click here to view a map of the project.

The wind resource on the Puketoi Range is world-class and the relatively remote site is ideal for a wind farm in many respects. With up to 58 individual wind turbines proposed, the wind farm will generate enough clean, renewable electricity to power up to 70,000 average homes.

Contact originally applied for consents for the Waitahora wind farm in August 2008. A joint Council hearing was held in February 2009. The Commissioners’ notified their decision on 1 April 2009 and declined Contact’s application.

Contact has significantly refined the project to further reduce environmental effects and address many of the concerns of the local residents. For example, there will be significantly less traffic on some roads and the visual and amenity effects have been reduced by removing several turbines.

The project will now proceed to the Environment Court for a hearing late in 2010.

For more information on this project, or if you have any questions please email us at waitahora@contactenergy.co.nz