Projects
Electricity projects
Palmerston North electricity network project
Powerco is committed to providing you with a reliable electricity supply. To do this, the company undertakes regular maintenance and upgrade projects on the electricity network.
Work is about to start in central Palmerston North to replace old underground cables with new ones. This will improve reliability of supply.
The major cable replacement project involves installing cable in ducts. Installing the duct will be labour intensive and affect traffic flows in the area. All efforts will be made to minimise the duration and impact of the work.
This is a multi-staged project that will take several years to complete. The first stage will focus on the area along Main St and Keith St and is due to be completed by Christmas. We have installed a temporary overhead line to ensure your electricity supply is not affected during the project.
Please phone us on 0800 769 372 or email customer.services@powerco.co.nz if you have any questions.
Powerco is committed to being a reliable partner delivering New Zealand energy future.
This map shows the proposed Keith Street/Main street underground cable installation route.
Mokoia substation project
Powerco is about to start work on a $6.9m substation at Mokoia south of Hawera that will enhance electricity supply in the area. The new substation on Meremere Rd will replace one built in the 1970s to supply power to the Kiwi Dairies plant (now Fonterra) and the surrounding rural community.
The old structure was within the Fonterra complex but no longer supplied the dairy giant. Fonterra’s energy needs are now met by power direct from the national grid and gas.
There are still have 1650 customers connected to the old substation but there are problems with it being inside the dairy complex such as access and health and safety. Some of the equipment is also due for replacement.
A separate project involves upgrading the Cambria substation’s Glover Rd East feeder which supplies mostly residential consumers near the Hawera CBD. The feeder’s present capacity is insufficient to cope with future load growth in this area or to provide support for the Mokoia substation. Mokoia would be a single transformer substation and during maintenance would need backup supply from Glover Rd East. The upgrade would triple the Glover Rd East feeder’s capacity.
Gas Projects
Hutt Valley gas supply upgrade
A section of the gas network that supplies the Hutt Valley is going underground.
Powerco started work mid-January to replace the existing 40-year-old gas regulating station on Riddlers Crescent with modern, underground equipment. The project will improve the safety, security of supply and network reliability for more than 20,000 gas customers.
The existing above-ground station will be demolished and land put on the market. This will improve the visual appeal of the residential street.
Modern control equipment is much more compact now and means we can put the equipment underground. The result is a safe, modern and much less obtrusive regulating station, reducing the risks of safety, increasing efficiency and reliability, as well as being easier to maintain.
The almost $1 Million project, which is due to be finished late March, is not expected to result in any disruption to supply.
Wellington gas supply upgrade
Powerco has begun a project called Project Gotham to renew parts of the gas network in the central city. The work will allow Powerco to continue to provide a safe and reliable gas supply to its customers.
This project will not only increase customer capacity allowing for growth, but provide a more reliable and secure gas network in central Wellington.
Project Gotham is being implemented in four stages. Work began in sector 2 in January 2018 with the excavation of parts of the network to check and replace equipment. The schedule of work has been rearranged for minimal impact to businesses and residents. However, sections of the road will need to be closed at times.
Please direct any enquiries to 0800 427 001 or gotham@powerco.co.nz
