Final wind turbine installed as Te Apiti development nears completion
Meridian Energy’s Te Apiti wind farm development in the Tararua ranges reached a major milestone at the weekend, with
the completion of the project’s 55th and last wind turbine on Saturday.
The final component put in place was the 70m-diameter rotor, the installation of which was delayed for several days last
week by high winds.
Meridian spokesman Alan Seay says the project is on course for full commissioning later this month, when Te Apiti will
be capable of generating to its full 90 megawatt (MW) capacity.
“The installation of the last turbine marks the completion of a very successful development programme, which has seen
the southern hemisphere’s largest wind farm consented and constructed in a little over a year.
“This is despite the major storm and flooding in February which resulted in the loss of a substantial number of working
days. There has been 1784mm of rain since the project started; we lost a key bridge for transporting material to the
site, but thanks to the efforts of everyone involved it has made very little difference to the timetable.”
Of the completed turbines, 45 are now fully commissioned, and delivering power to the national grid.
Mr Seay says quite apart from being a new source of clean, renewable power, Te Apiti has provided a major tourism bonus
for the region. Meridian has provided a public viewing area near one of the turbines, and a car counter installed by
Tararua District Council has recorded 1257 cars visiting the site during the last week of September alone.
A study carried out by Destination Manawatu has estimated the wind farm could be worth up to $7 million to the region in
tourist activity.
The Danish-built 1.65MW wind turbines are the largest currently in use in New Zealand, and each of them can generate
enough electricity to power up to 900 average homes.
When fully commissioned, Te Apiti as a whole will generate enough power to supply some 45,000 homes.
Meridian Energy is currently investigating another major wind farm development at White Hill, near Lumsden, in
Southland.