Powering on for kiwifruit

A new $2.2 million substation is being built in the Western Bay to cater for the growing demand of the kiwifruit industry.

Powerco announced yesterday the station was being built just north of Paengaroa village and would go live within the next two months. It will have a capacity of 17MVA, the equivalent of powering 8500 households.

It will supply Paengaroa and the surrounding area, which is served by the Te Puke and Pongakawa substations.

Powerco Electricity general manager Andrew McLeod said the need for a new substation was fuelled by increased kiwifruit production. "Harvest companies have reported bumper crops this year and have been upgrading their facilities to cope with the higher kiwifruit volumes. The new substation will both meet their increased electricity needs and provide the local community with a more reliable service," he said.

"It is fantastic to see the kiwifruit sector making a comeback from the devastating effects of Psa, both in terms of individual orchardists and the local economy, and we are proud to be supporting this growth."

A Seeka spokesman agreed the station was important for the industry. "It's needed in terms of what's required because most of it's cool store builds and most of it's seasonal. It's very much a seasonal peak demand."

Powerco is also investing $1.4 million in the Te Puke substation, which will undergo a complete refurbishment.