Wairau Hydro Scheme

41°36′54″S 173°23′53″E / 41.615°S 173.398°E / -41.615; 173.398StatusProposedOwner(s)TrustPowerThermal power station Primary fuelHydroPower generationNameplate capacity70 MW (94,000 hp)

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The Wairau Hydro Scheme is a canal based hydroelectric project proposed by TrustPower on the Wairau River in Marlborough, New Zealand. The $280 million project would divert up to 60% of the river through 49 kilometres (30 mi) of canals to generate up to 70 megawatts (94,000 hp) of electricity.^[1]

Resource consents

Resource consents for this project were granted in 2008.^[2] This decision was appealed to the Environment Court, which in 2010 decided in favour of the project.^[3] However, TrustPower put the project on hold in 2012, due to low electricity prices combined with rising construction costs.^[4] Consents for the scheme lapsed in 2021.^[5]

References

^ "Controversial Wairau scheme gets green light". The Nelson Mail. 26 November 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
^ NZPA (5 August 2008). "TrustPower gets resource consent for Wairau hydro scheme". NZ Herald.
^ "Hydro scheme gets green light". The Marlborough Express. 26 November 2010.
^ Simpson, Heather (26 January 2016). "TrustPower keeping Marlborough hydro-electric scheme on its radar". The Marlborough Express. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
^ "Hydro generation stack update for large-scale plant". Roaring40s. 24 September 2020. p. 15. Retrieved 1 July 2021.