Major electricity network project for New Plymouth

The $11 million project involves 9.2km of trenching, the laying of ducting and the installation of cables that will connect substations at Moturoa and upper Carrington St.

Powerco General Manager of Service Delivery and Systems Operations Glenn Sharratt said the work was necessary as national grid operator Transpower will decommission its supply point at Port Taranaki by early 2020.

“The supply point became largely redundant with the closure of the New Plymouth power station,” he said.

“However, it serves our substation at Moturoa which in turn powers several big industries, commercial customers and hundreds of residences in the area. We now need to connect Moturoa to Carrington St which is no small task.”

The trenching and associated work, which includes upgrading the two substations, is expected to take 18 months to complete.

Mr Sharratt said the project would be good for local firms. Drillco has the trenching contract and Nexans will supply the cabling. Other work is still to be tendered.

“We are working closely with the New Plymouth District Council to minimise disruption to residents and businesses as work progresses along the proposed routes.”

Drillco will split the project work between two teams. Team one will start from Carrington St and work along Huatoki St, Brois St, Waimea St and Tukapa St to the halfway point at Borrell Ave. 

It will also trench an alternative route along Carrington St, Parsons St, Glenpark Ave, Frankley Rd, Clawton St and Tukapa St to Borrell Ave. The alternative route provides a back-up option to ensure security of supply. 

The cables will run across two existing bridges on the Huatoki Stream.

Team two will trench along Borrell Ave, Seaview Rd, Devon St, Bayly Rd and Breakwater Rd to the Moturoa substation.