15 August 2005

Deep Stream Power for 3,100 Homes

TrustPower's new Deep Stream enhancement of its Waipori power scheme will be providing power for 3,100 homes by Winter 2007.

The project was granted a Resource Consent last month. It involves channelling existing water flows from Deep Stream to Lake Mahinerangi through a canal and a small head pond. Lake Mahinerangi already feeds TrustPower multi-station Waipori hydro scheme. Placed within the canal system will be two 2.5 MW generator units made surplus by upgrades to TrustPower's Coleridge power station

The scheme, which will cost approximately $15 million to construct, will generate enough power to supply 3,100 average homes. It will also provide an emergency water supply for Dunedin City in the event of a prolonged draught.

TrustPower Chief Executive Keith Tempest says the Deep Stream enhancement is just one of a number of proposed projects where TrustPower is aiming to enhance existing generation schemes to provide additional power with little or no local environmental impact, and a positive national and global environmental impact.

"This project is exciting, because it provides a 10% increase in the power currently available from our existing Waipori scheme. On the basis that it displaces the need for alternative generation involving the burning of fossil fuels, and therefore helps New Zealand meet its obligations under the Kyoto agreement, the project has also been granted Carbon Credits. Without these Carbon Credits this project would simply not have been financially viable."

Mr Tempest says construction work will begin before the end of the 2005 calendar year, with the objective of having the scheme fully commissioned before Winter 2007.

ENDS