Transpower Consults On Removal Of Ageing Cook Strait Electricity Cables At End-of-Life

Transpower is consulting on the removal of three ageing Cook Strait electricity cables at an estimated cost of $120 million, once new cables have been installed in the early 2030s.

The cables form part of the High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link, which allows electricity to flow between the North and South Islands. They have been in service since 1991 and are due to be decommissioned, once the new cables are installed as part of a wider upgrade to the link. This upgrade is essential to ensure the link can continue to support a reliable, secure electricity supply for New Zealand and enable the supply of the lowest cost electricity across both islands.

Transpower Chief Executive James Kilty said there are operational and regulatory factors supporting the removal of the cables, but there is an associated cost to doing so and Transpower wants to hear from stakeholders about what is important to them.

“Removal of the existing cables is consistent with our current consent arrangements as well as offering some practical long-term benefits and potential environmental benefits. Transpower’s consent for the cables to occupy the seafloor ends in the 2030s. Making a decision now on their removal, and how that is funded, will support us to progress through the process to consent and install the new cables with clarity, and to optimise delivery planning to minimise costs,” James said.

“The cables lie within a protected area of Cook Strait. This Cable Protection Zone is becoming congested. If the in-service cables are removed at the end of their life, this would reduce congestion and help protect space for future infrastructure.

“Transpower’s current estimate is that removing the cables could cost around $120 million, with potential proceeds from recycling copper and other materials offsetting an estimated $30 million. The net cost would form a small part of the transmission charges on people’s electricity bill from 2030 to 2035.”

Feedback from this consultation will inform Transpower’s decision on how to manage the existing cables, once the new cables are installed.

Consultation is open from 13 April – 8 May 2026. To read the consultation paper and give feedback, or find out more about the HVDC link upgrade, visit www.transpower.co.nz/hvdc-upgrade.

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