TrustPower doubles wind farm

By Chris Hutching

Friday 16th May 2003

TrustPower yesterday announced a $60 million expansion that will more than double its 48-turbine Tararua wind farm to 103 turbines, which will provide 68MW of power, sufficient for 16,000 homes.

Orders for the extra turbines have been placed with the Danish manufacturer Vestas, the manufacturer of the existing turbines commissioned in 1999.

TrustPower decided to use the same make and model of turbine because of its proven suitability and to realise economies in maintenance and spare parts requirements.
About $20 million will be spent locally on siteworks and components such as lattice towers.

Resource consents are already in place and it is expected the first new turbine will be operational by mid-December, with the remainder to be commissioned and tested by May next year.

Meanwhile, Christchurch-based Windflow Technology's first wind-turbine will be erected at its Gebbies Pass on Banks Peninsula over the next few days.

The company raised $2.6 million last year for its experimental turbine that inventor Geoff Henderson said held greater promise of efficiencies than other turbines on the market.

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