Mainpower plans to double size of wind farm
Electricity lines company MainPower said it has reached an agreement with a private land owner to extend its planned wind farm at Mt Cass in North Canterbury.
The extension would double the original size and energy output of the wind farm, and depending on the turbines chosen could generate up to 63 megawatts of power, enough energy for 23,000 homes, MainPower managing director Allan Berge said.
The region currently generates no power.
“The Mt Cass Wind Farm is a step towards resolving our energy exposure and achieving our vision of energy self-sufficiency for the region,” Mr Berge said.
Options being considered for wind turbines on the 6km site, 6km east of Waipara, ranged from 70 small (47m) turbines to 24 large (125m) turbines.
Mt Cass property owner Tiromoana Station is a subsidiary of Transwaste Canterbury Ltd, a joint venture between five Canterbury local authorities and Kate Valley Landfill owner Canterbury Waste Services.
MainPower secured legal easement on the property from the previous owners in 1997, before ownership changed in 2003 to Tiromoana Station.
MainPower said it had also bought 160ha of the Mt Cass ridge, which will contain the initial 3km of the proposed wind farm announced in March.
MainPower aimed to lodge consent applications for the wind farm within the next two to three months, and is continuing community consultation on the proposal.
NZPA
3 August 2007
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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