Mighty River Power - Puketoi Wind Farm

Application numbers: 105960, 105961, 105962, 105963, 105964, 105965, 105966, 105984 and 105985

Mighty River Power Ltd seeks all necessary resource consents required from the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council (MWRC), Tararua District Council (TDC) and Palmerston North City Council (PNCC), for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Puketoi Wind Farm and Transmission Line and associated infrastructure on privately owned rural land, public land, and public roads in northern Tararua District and on public land in respect of a small section of the transmission line in Palmerston North City.

In summary, the proposal involves:

  • The construction, operation and maintenance of a wind farm on the Puketoi Range consisting of up to 53 turbines, substation and switchyard and internal 33kV transmission lines, with a proposed generating capacity of 326MW, providing enough electricity to power over 160,000 New Zealand households. 
  • The construction, operation and maintenance of a 220kV transmission line connecting the proposed wind farm to the Turitea Wind Farm within the Turitea Reserve on the Tararua Ranges.
  • Land disturbance, vegetation clearance and civil works for the construction or upgrading of access roads, the construction of turbine platforms, platforms for the substation, switchyard, transmission support structures, lay down areas, temporary water storage facilities and cable trenching.
  • Total earthworks of up to 2,784,000m3 and disposal of excess fill to various areas within the site
  • The construction and use of two temporary concrete batching plants.
  • The construction, use and maintenance of up to four permanent wind monitoring masts of up to 100m  in height.
  • The construction and use of lay down areas, and a contractors area including temporary site offices, ablutions, car parking and storage areas for fuel.
  • The minor upgrading of public roads between Pahiatua and the site.
  • The construction and use of three temporary bridge crossings during construction and various culverts.
  • Site reinstatement and revegetation within the site.

Mighty River Power is seeking resource consents that enable 53 turbines with a defined maximum size to be constructed within defined sites along the Puketoi Range but with some flexibility as to the exact type of turbine to be used.  The turbines will be no more than 160 metres high (as measured from the ground to the rotor tip) and only one size and type of turbine will be utilised. 

To view the full list of applications applied with Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council, Tararua District Council and Palmerston North City Council please click here.

Activity Address: 19 access agreements have been reached with landowners with regard to the proposed wind farm site, covering some 5,658 hectares along the Puketoi Range.  The Puketoi Range is located approximately 20km east of Pahiatua, 25km northeast of Eketahuna and 30km northwest of the Tararua Coast.  The closest settlements are Makuri, Pongaroa and Tiraumea. 

28 access aagreements have been reached with landowners with regard to the transmission route, includes 28 landholdings located from the Puketoi Ranges to the Turitea Wind Farm on the Tararua Ranges.  The route passes approximately three kilometres south of Pahiatua.

Submission closing date: 4.45pm Monday 17 October 2011

The application and accompanying information may be viewed at the following locations:

Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council

  • Horizons Regional Council Offices, 11-15 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North
  • Woodville Service Centre, Corner Vogel (SH2) and Tay Streets, Woodville
  • Or online at www.horizons.govt.nz

Tararua District Council

  • Eketahuna Service Centre/Library, 31 Main Street, Eketahuna
  • Pahiatua Service Centre, 103 Main Street, Pahiatua
  • Woodville Service Centre, 45 Vogel Street, Woodville
  • Dannevirke Service Centre (Head Office), 26 Gordon Street, Dannevirke
  • Or online at www.tararuadc.govt.nz

Palmerston North City Council

  • Palmerston North City Council Offices, 32 The Square, Palmerston North
  • Palmerston North Central Library, 4 The Square, Palmerston North
  • Ashhurst Library, 64 Bamfield Street, Ashhurst
  • Community Library Linton Camp, Corner of Bells/Woodlands Road, Linton Camp, Palmerston North
  • Or online at www.pncc.govt.nz

A copy of the application can also be found at www.mightyriverpower.co.nz. You can also request a CD-ROM of the application from Tararua District Council (phone (06) 374 4080).

To view a full copy of the consent application please click here.

Submissions

Any person may make a submission on the application, but a person who is a trade competitor of the applicant may do so only if that person is directly affected by an effect of the activity to which the application relates that –

(a)           adversely affects the environment; and

(b)           does not relate to trade competition or the effects of trade competition.

You may make a submission by sending a written or electronic submission to Tararua District Council, PO Box 115, Dannevirke, 4942 or craig.lunn@tararuadc.govt.nz.

Submission forms are available at any of the locations listed above or can be downloaded by clicking here.  Submissions on the application must be received by the Tararua District Council on or before 5.00 pm, Monday 17 October 2011.  The Tararua District Council will receive submissions on behalf of all three Councils.

The submission must include:

  1. Details of the application in respect of which you are making the submission.
  2. Your name, postal address, telephone number and fax number (if applicable).
  3. Whether you support or oppose the applications.
  4. Whether you wish to be heard in respect of the submission.
  5. The decision you wish the consent authority to make, including the general nature of any conditions sought.
  6. Be dated and signed by the person making the submission.
  7. In addition to serving a copy on Tararua District Council, a copy of your submission must be served on the applicant as soon as reasonably practicable after serving your submission on the Tararua District Council.  The applicants address for service is:

Address for service: Mighty River Power, PO Box 445, Hamilton 3240, Attention: Mason Jackson.

Enquiries regarding the application can be made to Craig Lunn, Tararua District Council, on (06) 374 4080 or by email to craig.lunn@tararuadc.govt.nz.

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