Giant wind farm planned for Port Waikato

A $NZ 2 billion wind farm, consisting of 218 turbines standing at 150m high is being planned for the rural North Island settlement of Port Waikato.

Contact Energy's proposed wind power generation project, named Hauāuru mā raki, meaning northwest wind, would be among the biggest in the world with the potential to produce up to 650MW, enough to power about 250,000 homes.

The world's largest wind farm, Horse Hollow in the Texas panhandle, generates 735MW.

The Port Waikato turbines would cover an area of 320sq km, 35sq km bigger than Great Barrier Island.

The announcement comes less than a week after Energy Minister David Parker said power companies are likely to face a 10-year ban on building gas-fired, base-load generators.

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Chief Executive Mike Underhill said: "If given the go-ahead, it will make a significant contribution towards attaining the target of 90 per cent of New Zealand's electricity being provided by renewable sources by 2025."

Greenpeace climate campaigner Jim Footner said renewable forms of energy were essential in tackling climate change.

"[But] it is important that wind farms are sensitively and appropriately cited and that a rigorous planning regime is in place to ensure this. Greenpeace supports and urges a robust consultation and consent process that considers or mitigates local environmental, iwi and resident concerns, against the positive national and global effects of new wind applications on a case by case basis."

Glennys Smith, who owns a bed and breakfast near Port Waikato, said she understood locals would not be able to see the turbines from the road. "They are fairly big sheep stations down there and the coast is quite a way from the road. They will be quite in the distance. I send my tourists down that way. It's quite beautiful, but honestly you can't see much from the road."

Ms Smith said the income from the wind farm would be welcome.

"Some of the farmers will be pleased to have the income. I think some of them are actually looking forward to having some work down there."

Construction of the wind farm is expected to be well underway by 2010 with completion expected around 2014.

Further information:

www.contactenergy.co.nz