Wairau Hydro

TrustPower’s planned Wairau Valley Hydroelectric Power Scheme is a 72MW scheme, which would utilise water from the Wairau River in Marlborough. TrustPower was granted consent to build the scheme by the Environment Court in November 2010.

The scheme will take water from the Wairau River above the existing Branch River station, and pass it through a 49 kilometre canal system and six power stations, including the existing Branch River hydro scheme, before returning to the Wairau River. The scheme is expected to cost approximately $280 - $320 million and produce enough power for around 47,000 homes.

The output from the Wairau Hydro Scheme will be used by Marlborough and the upper South Island communities. As well as providing direct economic and security of supply benefits to the Marlborough region the scheme will also provide indirect benefits to the rest of New Zealand, as it will free up electricity currently imported into the region for more efficient use elsewhere. The scheme will also assist New Zealand to meet its targets of increased sustainable generation using local natural resources.

Incorporated within the project is the supply of irrigation water, via a community owned irrigation scheme, which will provide a much needed boost to the local rural community. Combining the irrigation scheme in to the project avoids much of the irrigation infrastructure cost that otherwise would be borne by the community. In addition, two recreational areas have been specifically incorporated in to the project design.

Following the confirmation of the Wairau scheme resource consents by the Environment Court, TrustPower is now engaging in detailed geotechnical studies and technical design with that process expected to take up to two years.

Please click on the links below for more information:

Wairau Hydro Scheme Background

Resource Consent Application

2010 on...Where To Next?

The existing Branch Hydro Scheme