Waitara electricity upgrade

Between August 2024 and March 2025, the electricity network in Waitara, north Taranaki, will be upgraded. 

The project includes installing new underground power cables and replacing the single overhead power line with double overhead lines, benefiting more than 7,000 customers. Currently one power line route feeds Waitara and the surrounding areas. The two-line route means power will continue to be supplied to customers if the other one is unavailable, ensuring the community’s power supply remains reliable now and into the future and enables future growth of the area.  

What’s involved? 

• 2.3km of new underground power cables are being installed 
• 1.8km of single overhead 33kV power line is being replaced with double overhead lines 
• As the area is historically significant, members of Otaraua and Pukerangiora hapū and the New Zealand Archaeological Society will be on site to oversee digging works. 
  
  

While the majority of the project will take place across farmland, some work will be visible along the roadside of Ngatimaru and Faull roads, and at the Huirangi substation on Waitara Road. 

Traffic management 

To help keep you and our crews safe, traffic management will be in place from along  Ngatimaru and Faull roads. 

Planned power outages 

Planned outages will be required towards the end of the project to allow our people to work safely. Affected customers will receive information from their electricity retailer (the company they pay their power bill to) of any of the planned outages will affect their property. Customers can also check for planned outages here closer to the time. 

The work will be carried on our behalf by Northpower and Downer.