MEL - Tauhei Solar Farm Power Purchase Agreement

Thursday 30th January 2025

Meridian has signed a Power Purchase Agreement with Harmony Energy / First Renewables in respect of their joint venture to build the 150MW Tauhei Solar Farm, near Te Aroha in the Waikato.

Once completed in late 2026, the Tauhei Solar Farm will be New Zealand’s largest to date, generating 280 gigawatt hours of electricity each year, enough to power around 35,000 homes. Meridian will purchase 100% of the output from the farm for its first 10 years of operation.

Meridian will also purchase early generation prior to full operation under a separate Power Purchase Agreement, on the same terms as the main Agreement.

Meridian Chief Executive Neal Barclay said the agreement shows that New Zealand’s electricity industry supports competition.

“This agreement demonstrates how new entrants to the electricity sector can work with existing participants like Meridian to deliver commercially viable independent electricity to customers. Tauhei Solar Farm ticks all the boxes for us – it’s an exciting development generating clean energy from the abundant Waikato sun, that’ll add more resilience to New Zealand’s electricity supply.”

“I congratulate Harmony Energy and First Renewables for their progress on this outstanding project – it adds real value to New Zealand.”

The full media release can be found here: https://clarus.co.nz/content-hub/harmony-energy-and-first-renewables-announce-joint-venture-for-the-development-of-new-zealands-largest-solar-farm

Tauhei Solar Farm Power Purchase Agreement

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