Mighty River Power has identified the potential for a 200MW wind farm in the Puketoi Range, east of Pahiatua, and the Company recently signed agreements with 17 landowners in the area which enables it to further investigate the site’s potential.
Mighty River Power Investment Manager, William Meek said the Company was delighted to have been able to negotiate an agreement with the Puketoi landowners group.
“We believe the site has great potential and we look forward to commencing our investigations during the next few months.
“As the first step, we would expect to install wind monitoring masts at a number of sites along the range over the next year. These temporary mast structures will test wind speed and direction for around 18 months,” said Mr Meek.
Mighty River Power will also investigate the options to connect the wind farm to the national grid. Company representatives are currently discussing transmission options with landowners.
Phil Champion, Chairman of the Puketoi landowners group said that the Puketoi landowners were very pleased to have negotiated a development agreement with one of New Zealand’s major electricity generators.
Mighty River Power operates a diverse and expanding generation portfolio, which collectively accounts for up to 22 percent of New Zealand's peak energy demand, and includes assets fuelled by water, geothermal energy, gas and landfill gas.
The Company’s generation expansion programme covers a range of renewable fuel options such as geothermal and wind. As part of this strategy, Mighty River Power has assembled a team of wind generation experts and is investigating a number of potential sites around the country.
The nine power stations that make up the Waikato River hydro system remain at the heart of Mighty River Power’s portfolio.