Waitaha Hydro Project becomes possible through Fast Track Approvals process

Waitaha Hydro Project becomes possible through Fast Track Approvals process

“The largest investment in renewable energy on the West Coast in a generation has taken a major step forward today” says Westpower¹ chief executive, Peter Armstrong.

“We’re pleased to see the Waitaha Hydro Project, a renewable energy development decades in the making, which will bring significant national and regional benefits to New Zealand, listed in the government’s schedule of projects for the Fast-track Approvals process” says Armstrong.

Westpower and Poutini Ngāi Tahu² have partnered on this proposed 20 MW run of river hydro project in South Westland. Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio Chairman Paul Madgewick, and  Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae Chairman Francois Tumahai noted that “Along with our partners, Westpower, we share an economic development vision for a prosperous West Coast – the Waitaha Hydro scheme will certainly contribute to such a vision and will bring long term energy resilience for the West Coast”.

The Waitaha Hydro Project is a planned run-of-river hydro power plant on the Waitaha River, located between Ross and Hari Hari on the West Coast. The mouth of the Waitaha River is located about 36 kilometres south of Hokitika.  

Westpower distributes electricity to customers in the Grey and Westland Districts, where the total electricity consumption is about 227 Gigawatt hours per year. The estimated output from the Waitaha Hydro Project would be about 120 Gigawatts per year, enough to supply about half of the distribution network’s current electricity needs.

“This will certainly help achieve a cheaper and more secure resilient electricity supply than would otherwise be available to the people of the West Coast and help the region and the country meet renewable energy, security of supply and climate change targets” says Peter Armstrong.

“New Zealand has a national heritage of hydro electricity generation, which to this day generates 60% of the nation’s electricity supply. The 120 Gigawatt hours of reliable and renewable electricity the Waitaha can add to the grid each year will materially reduce the country’s emissions, by as much as 119,420 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year”.

“Westpower and its partners Poutini Ngāi Tahu look forward to working with the Department of Conservation, residents of the West Coast, other key stakeholders, and the New Zealand government as we work through the regulatory process and the physical development of the project to turn this idea into a reality to help New Zealand’s progress towards net-zero emissions by 2050”.

-ENDS-

For further comment or to speak to Peter Armstrong please contact Westpower

waitaha@westpower.co.nz  

¹ Westpower is a 100% community owned power company with electricity generation and distribution

assets servicing consumers in the Grey and Westland Districts.

² Poutini Ngāi Tahu comprises the iwi of Te Tai Poutini, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio.