Project Hurunui

Hurunui Windfarm
Map
Country
  • New Zealand
LocationNorth Canterbury
Coordinates42°59′33″S 172°57′32″E / 42.992595°S 172.958794°E / -42.992595; 172.958794
StatusProposed; resource consent granted but has lapsed with time
OwnerMeridian Energy
Power generation
Units operational33
Nameplate capacity76 MW[1]
[edit on Wikidata]

Project Hurunui is a proposed wind farm located between Omihi and Greta Valley in north Canterbury, New Zealand. Meridian Energy proposed the wind farm; in 2013 it received resource consent from the Environment Court, though this consent lapsed in 2023.

History

The proposal as of 2011 was for a wind farm of 33 turbines, with maximum height of 130.5 metres, located on a 34 km2 area on the east side of State Highway 1.[1]

Meridian Energy began consultations on the project in April 2010.[2] An informal survey of residents in the affected area showed that slightly more were in favour of the wind farm than those who were opposed.[3]

The application for consents was lodged in February 2011,[4] and notified in April 2011.[1] In June 2011, the Hurunui District Council and the Canterbury Regional Council agreed to a request by Meridian that the wind farm proposal be referred to the Environment Court.[5] Consent was granted by the Environment Court in April 2013,[6] though one of the conditions was that the consent lapsed if "not given effect to within ten years".[7]

In February 2021 Meridian said that the company wanted to see more demand in the South Island before developing more generation there.[8]which is planned to produce up to 75.9 MW from 2014.[9]

As of 2024, the Hurunui project does not appear in Meridian's webpage of projects.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Wind Farm Application Open for Submissions" (Press release). Hurunui District Council. 8 April 2011.
  2. ^ "Wind farm planned for North Canterbury". RNZ. 4 April 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  3. ^ Greenhill, Marc (16 February 2011). "Wind-turbine project splits rural neighbours". The Press. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Meridian Lodges Resource Consent Application For Project Hurunui". Voxy. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Meridian Wind Farm Proposal Heading To The Environment Court" (Press release). Hurunui District Council. 16 June 2011.
  6. ^ Rachel Young (18 April 2013). "31 wind turbines for Hurunui". Stuff. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  7. ^ Meridian Energy Limited v Hurunui District Council [2013] NZEnvC 261 (4 November 2013) https://www.nzlii.org/cgi-bin/sinodisp/nz/cases/NZEnvC/2013/261.html "In accordance with section 125(1) of the Resource Management Act 1991, this resource consent will lapse if not given effect to within ten years of commencement."
  8. ^ Gavin Evans (25 February 2021). "Dramatically faster consenting needed for renewables — Meridian". BusinessDesk. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Project Hurunui". Meridian Energy.
  10. ^ "New projects". Meridian Energy. Retrieved 2024-08-12.