$14 million to repower district

A $14 million electricity upgrade for two of the Bay's fastest growing areas will improve reliability and boost capacity - especially for Tauranga's central business district.
National lines company Powerco has unveiled a series of projects, spread throughout the year, to boost the electricity network in Tauranga and Te Puke.
Powerco's plans include replacing the existing 5MW transformers with two new 24MW units - worth $1 million - and installing a new switchboard at the Waihi Rd substation, improving its performance. The upgrade will provide stronger back-up to the Hamilton St substations supply for the central business district (CBD) which was hit by a succession of power cuts last August, frustrating retailers and office workers.
Powerco eastern region planning manager Neville Goodwin said the upgrade was a continuing process but the company wanted to keep ahead of growth.
"Some of the components making up the network are coming to the end of their life and we want to future-proof the system for years to come," he said.
"With the projects we have in mind, the CBD will be one of the most secure in the country."
Most projects were already in the planning stage but the CBD issue last year gave us a hurry-up."
Mr Goodwin said the ultimate aim was to form a solid ring around the CBD. This involved some cabling work from Hamilton St and eventually putting in another substation at Sulphur Point.
"We don't want to see any more power cuts," he said.
The upgrade has been welcomed by downtown retailers.
Sue Honeybun, of Brumbys in Devonport Rd, remembers last August's power cuts well.
"They were a pain in the neck. We couldn't bake any products or keep anything hot for our customers. It was a major. If they can keep the power up that's great."
Mr Goodwin said Powerco's upgrade was the first step in ensuring the whole local network was meeting the increased power demands caused by residential and commercial growth.
This also meant the capacity at Mount Maunganui and Te Puke would double.
Mr Goodwin said Powerco will also be replacing ageing switching equipment with new technology to increase the reliability of the network.
Power upgrade
* Waihi Rd substation: Two 24MW transformers (by June), new switchboard and feeder cables, cost $2 million; expand supply from The Avenues to Judea industrial area; back-up to Tauranga CBD and Otumoetai.
* Hamilton St substation: extra cabling into CBD.
* Te Puke: Two 24MW transformers, first over Easter; circuit breakers to protect transformers; concrete bunding to contain oil leaks; cost $2 million; also service first stages of Rangiuru business park.
* Mount Maunganui: link six wires of existing overhead lines into one 33,000 volt circuit; new 33,000 volt underground circuit from Matapihi Rd substation to Triton Ave, servicing industrial area and the port; back up to CBD through 33,000 volt circuit that crosses harbour bridge.
* From Papamoa substation: new 11,000 volt cable along Tara Rd supplying Papamoa Juction retail/commercial centre in Parton Rd; other feeders down Domain Rd to Gravatt Rd for new Supa Centa retail development and along SH2 towards Welcome Bay Rd.