Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura and Ngāti Haua kaumātua Wina Taute leads the group through the paddock walk. Photo: Jeremy Smith.
A major infrastructure upgrade in Waipā has been announced this week.
The region is to get a new Transpower-owned 220Kv national grid substation and a local network 33kV substation owned by Waipā Networks.
The aim is to increase electricity capacity in the local distribution network and it will be operating, all going to plan, in early 2025.
Waipā Networks chief executive Sean Horgan said the project represented a “strategic response” to the anticipated growth in the Waipā region, particularly in Cambridge.
“It means that we have the infrastructure in place to deal with the projected regional growth,” he said.
Waipā Networks and Transpower announced the start of the project on Tuesday at a site blessing in Hautapu led by Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā.
Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā kaumatua Wina Taute helped lead the ceremony for the gathered crowd.
Among those present were Waipā District Council chief executive Garry Dyet, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce chief Kelly Bouzaid and Cambridge Community Board members Andrew Myers and Sue Milner.
Horgan said by working closely with landowners, an ideal site near existing transmission infrastructure had been secured.
“It means that we have the infrastructure in place to deal with the projected regional growth.
“With GDP growth for Cambridge currently more than twice the national average the Hautapu substation ensures network resilience, increased capacity, and security of supply for both Cambridge and the wider Waipā region,” he said.
Waipā Networks provides electricity to more than 40,000 customers in Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Kāwhia and surrounding areas. Transpower is the owner and operator of the National Grid.
Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura and Ngāti Haua kaumātua Wina Taute speaks at the Hautapu site blessing on Tuesday morning.
