Transpower Proposes Further Investment In Power Supply For Hawke’s Bay

Transpower plans to invest $47.0 million to rebuild its Redclyffe substation to better protect Hawke’s Bay’s electricity supply against flooding and earthquakes.

The national electricity transmission grid owner submitted a proposal to the Commerce Commission today for approval to rebuild the main 220kV switchyard on the existing site, raising essential equipment out of the reach of potential flood waters.

Transpower’s Executive General Manager Grid Development Matt Webb said this is another aspect of the work to rebuild the substation after it was flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.

“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,” he 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.

“For the people of Napier, Hastings and surrounding areas, that would mean the power is more likely to stay on during catastrophic weather events like Cyclone Gabrielle.”

Mr Webb said Transpower has already completed significant work at Redclyffe substation to improve security of supply in the region since Cyclone Gabrielle.

Interim upgrades to the 110 kV switchyard were made in 2023 to make the equipment there more resilient to flooding, and an interim 220 kV control room has also been installed above the flood level.

A new 220 kV/110 kV interconnecting transformer is currently being installed that will significantly boost reliability of electricity supply in the region.

Under New Zealand’s electricity transmission regulatory framework, the Commerce Commission reviews and approves Transpower’s work plans to ensure investment is cost-effective and in the long-term interests of New Zealanders.

“We’ve engaged extensively with local communities on our plans for the region alongside our local lines company partner Unison Networks,” Mr Webb said.

“We believe this is the most cost-effective approach that also takes into account growing demand for electricity in the region. We have strong support from key stakeholders for our proposal and we look forward to the Commerce Commission rigorously testing our plans and costings.”

Once the Commerce Commission approve the proposal, Transpower expects to start the work in October 2026 and finish by December 2027.

The work can be completed without any impact to local electricity supply, Mr Webb said. 

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