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Wind Turbine at Mercury Wind Farm

WAIKOKOWAI WIND FARM.

We're proposing to build a wind farm in North Waikato, located on farmland west of Huntly.

The proposed project area being considered is broad, and is bordered by Highway 22, Rotowaro Road and Hetherington Road. 

The proposal could involve planning for up to 85 turbines with an installed capacity of about 300 MW. 

We’re in the early stages of gathering information to understand the options of developing a wind farm in North Waikato.

This work is part of our long-term investment into developing more renewable energy generation to increase our national power supply. It is also one of the most meaningful ways we can contribute to New Zealand becoming a lower emissions economy through electrification.   

We’re taking a flexible approach to engaging with communities, stakeholders and iwi in the areas where we want to work in North Waikato. We want to understand and respond to their needs.

We’ve begun to talk with local landowners about the opportunity to be part of the project. We’re also speaking with iwi, Waikato District Council, Waikato Regional Council and Department of Conservation as we work through environmental and other site-specific investigations to determine if the area is suitable for a wind farm.

A decision on submitting a resource consent application will be made in 2025.

Please watch this page for updates and email us to join our mailing list. You can also contact the project team via email on: waikokowaiwindfarm@mercury.co.nz

 

Project site

The wind farm we're proposing will use wind resource on the hills west of Huntly to generate electricity. The location site is remote and covers about 75 km2 of largely undulating hill country.

Work on a wind farm typically involves environmental monitoring, civil construction (such as foundations for the turbines), establishment of electrical equipment, developing access roads and electrical transmission equipment.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When are we planning to work on this project? In 2024, we're exploring the possibility of building the wind farm and this work includes engaging with the community and key stakeholders, a lot of research and study of the site. We're committed to doing this before any firm dates are proposed to advance the work further.
Why did we choose this location? Our initial scope of the project site suggests that it will provide an ideal source of wind, it's close to power transmission infrastructure, and its remote location means it could be developed without interfering with nearby outstanding landscapes. 
Why do we need so many wind farms? We have five wind farms; two in the South Island, two in Central North Island and one in Taranaki. We're expected to make a final investment decision on a new wind farm in Dargaville by the end of 2024. Planning for another wind farm in the Waikato region will add more diversity to the spread of our renewables. It will reduce the extent of extremes of both high and low generation. Read more about our operational wind farms here.
How will the community be impacted?

Part of the considerations when selecting a potential wind farm site includes the level of population. It is not possible to completely avoid populated areas, but we have experience in planning, constructing, and commissioning wind farms, and working with our communities to understand and resolve problems. We are initiating conversation with some community members and undertaking specialist assessments to better understand potential impacts during construction and operation of the wind farm. As these assessments and our plans develop, we'll engage with the community to see how we can minimise any impact.

What are the benefits of building this wind farm?

This wind farm will have some economic benefits, such as spending in the region during construction. The positive impacts it will have as a generator of renewable electricity will last longer through the 30-year expected operating life of the wind farm. It's close to major load centres in New Zealand meaning lines losses will be minimised, providing efficient energy to the system.

This proposal is part of Mercury’s long-term investment into developing more renewable energy generation to increase our national power supply. Renewable electricity is key to New Zealand’s decarbonisation goals. Electrification of the energy sector is New Zealand’s best opportunity to meet the 2050 net zero emissions target.

Where will the turbines be positioned, will they be close to homes and communities? We are still gathering the research and information we need to decide where the turbines might be located. There are a lot of factors to consider when looking at the potential impact on people’s homes. This includes the shadow flicker and noise of the turbines, suitability of the site for construction, access to the project site and visibility of the turbines from properties.
Would we consider using bladeless turbines? Turbine technology is always developing, and we want to buy the best we can to get the best from our investment. We keep an eye on what’s out there, but as it stands, we are confident that the three-bladed turbines at most New Zealand wind farms are the best for our conditions.
What are we looking at in terms of impact on wildlife (birds, lizards, bats)? We have started studies to understand the ecology of this area, and bird and bat surveys to understand how (and if) they live here. All of this research will help inform and shape the work and design of the project.
How many wind farms is Mercury looking at developing currently? We have five wind farms; two in the South Island, two in Central North Island and one in Taranaki. We are building the second stage of our wind farm at Kaiwera Downs near Gore and expect to make a final investment decision on a new wind farm north of Dargaville by the end of this year. Everything takes a long time to happen, and we have a pipeline of areas under consideration (like this one) and at different stages of being considered, built and operated. You can read more about our wind farms here.
Are we considering potential health issues such as from EMF (electro magnetic frequency)?

We take public safety very seriously, and the safety of the teams who work on our wind farms. We have looked into health concerns that have been raised, but we are 100% confident that there is no risk from electro magnetic frequency.

During construction, the land involved will become a building site so there will be multiple hazards as you would expect, but access is restricted and a strict health and safety regime is in place then, as it is during operation of the wind farm.

How will we consider the community? We are committed to listening to the community and being straight-up in terms of sharing information about the project as we work through each stage. We are still developing the options for this wind farm but as it progresses, we will take a methodical approach to planning and engineering, to remove or minimise any impacts.
Will there be any impacts on our properties? We have experience in planning, constructing and commissioning wind farms, and working with our communities to resolve problems. A well-designed and consented wind farm project is unlikely to have any negative impact on property values. It will be some years before we know if a project here will progress, we will be careful in the way in which we develop these plans to minimise significant effects on our neighbours.
Are we talking with iwi? Who are we talking with? We are in conversation with Waahi Whanui Trust and Waikato Tainui. A Cultural Impact Assessment will be part of the project preparation.
What could be the impact on local roads? During the early stages of construction, work will be undertaken to establish roads and access for the turbines. We will have traffic management controls in place to make sure we can minimise the impact on the local community (typically big loads move at night, for example). 
What are the benefits to the community?

The wind farm will provide employment and generate spending in the region during the initial phase of construction. There will also be opportunities for local trades people to become involved.

Mercury operates wind farms and power stations in and near communities all over New Zealand. We have community funds in most of these places that support community groups and projects and are often administered by local people. They kick off once we’re building or operating in the area. Take a look.