Pakuranga substation goes live

09 December 2011

A major milestone in the North Island Grid Upgrade Project (NIGUP) was hit on Sunday 4 December, with the commissioning of the new 220 kV substation at Pakuranga.

The substation acts as the northern terminal point of NIGUP, and will also be the connection point for the North Auckland and Northland (NAaN) project. These two major projects will significantly increase both the transmission capacity and the security of supply into the Auckland and Northland regions.

Commissioning was achieved in two stages; the first involved the upgrade and transfer of the existing 110 kV Otahuhu - Pakuranga transmission line to the new 220 kV switchyard. This allowed the energising and commissioning of two 220/33 kV transformers and the new 33 kV indoor switchboard. The second stage involved the construction and commissioning of a 33 kV tie-line between the existing and new switchyards. This means the old and new switchyards are now operating in parallel, while the 33 kV load is transferred to the new station.

Project Manager Luke Driscoll says that the commissioning of the substation is a critical step in the North Island Grid Upgrade Project, and is a great success for the team.

"Getting to the commissioning stage has been a huge undertaking; from turning a muddy paddock into a substation site, to all the technical challenges associated with a project of this type. The team has done a fantastic job, and to have the substation live is a great success for us and the Auckland and Northland region."

Following the commissioning of the third 220/33 kV transformer in March 2012, the final stage of the project will involve the dismantling of the old 110/33 kV switchyard, which will take around six months to remove.

For more information on the project, visit the Grid New Zealand website, call 0800 33 33 68 or find us on Facebook.

Please contact:
Philippa White
Stakeholder Communications
021 2418740