DUNEDIN’S NEWEST WIND FARM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

The public is being offered the chance see and tour through the South Island’s newest wind farm at the Mahinerangi Wind Farm Open Day.

The Mahinerangi Wind Farm, located near Lake Mahinerangi and Lee Stream South West of Dunedin, is being opened to the public on Saturday 2 April, with the Open Day running from 10 am – 3 pm. Those at the Open Day will be able to stand underneath a working wind turbine and see how the latest in wind turbine technology actually works.

Transport is being provided to the Wind Farm from Lee Stream School, which is on State Highway 87. Buses will depart Lee Stream School for the Wind Farm every half hour from 10 am – 2 pm. For road safety reasons TrustPower is asking that those attending the Open Day use the transport provided.

Stage 1 of the Mahinerangi Wind Farm boasts 12 Vestas V90 wind turbines, which can each produce up to 3 MW. These are the largest wind turbines in New Zealand – equal in size and output to the those installed at stage three of TrustPower’s Tararua Wind Farm.

All 12 turbines are now commissioned and operational.

TrustPower Community Relations Coordinator Pip Tschudin says the Mahinerangi Wind Farm Open Day gives people the chance to see a working wind farm in action, and how the turbines are efficiently powering Dunedin and the surrounding district.

“Since construction at the Mahinerangi Wind Farm started in September last year the Dunedin and rural public have been really interested in this project – with many getting up at 5 am to see turbines being transported, and more than 1,200 people attending a turbine display held in February.

“With such a high level of interest in the wind farm and wind energy in general, and many requests from people to open the site to the public, we are delighted that we can now offer people the chance to stand underneath and experience what are some of the biggest and most efficient wind turbines in New Zealand,” says Mrs Tschudin.

Each of the Vestas V90 turbines will supply sufficient electricity for 1,100 homes, and offset some 7,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

As well as touring through the wind farm there will also be an information display at Lee Stream Community Hall providing information on the Mahinerangi Wind Farm and the Vestas turbines installed at the site, as well as general information on how wind turbines work, the history of wind generation in New Zealand, and the benefits wind generation provides in terms of offsetting carbon emissions and helping fight climate change.

At the Mahinerangi Wind Farm Open Day gold coin donations will be collected, with all proceeds going to the Lee Stream Community Hall Upgrade and the Waipori Cemetery Information Kiosk.

The power from the Mahinerangi Wind Farm is feeding directly into an existing line, used by the Waipori hydro scheme, which is connected to Dunedin’s Halfway Bush substation, and then through to the local Aurora Network. Injecting Mahinerangi wind-farm output into the Halfway Bush substation will free up power currently having to be imported from Roxburgh and Benmore, for more efficient use elsewhere. The long term expected annual output from stage one of the wind farm is forecast to be 105 GWh per annum, which is enough power to supply approximately 13,000 Dunedin and surrounding district homes. The Mahinerangi Wind Farm will also contribute towards reducing the need for “last off the block” thermal generation, assisting New Zealand to meet its international climate change obligations.

The projected capital cost of the project is $75 million.

For more information please contact:
Pip Tschudin
TrustPower Community Relations Coordinator
Ph: 021 276 5319
Email: pip@trustpower.co.nz