Meridian Energy has plans to build and operate a wind farm in the Hawkes Bay.
The proposed wind farm combines the consents granted for two proposed wind farms in 2005. Meridian purchased the resource consent for Hawkes Bay wind farm from Hawke's Bay Wind Farm Ltd in 2010. It also purchased the consent for the neighbouring Titiokura site from Unison Networks.
The Hawkes Bay site is consented for up to 225 megawatts, and the Titiokura site is consented for up to 45MW. Meridian is undertaking further investigations at the sites before determining the size of the project it will proceed with. The sites are approximately 35 kilometres northwest of Napier Airport.
Unison had sought to extend the proposed Titiokura wind farm by applying for consent for up to 111 megawatts at the nearby Te Waka site. Te Waka originally received consent from the Hastings District Council but this decision was overturned by the Environment Court in April 2007. In June 2007 Unison applied for consent for a modified version of its Te Waka project. The Minister for the Environment "called-in" the application to the Environment Court, which declined consent for the revised proposal in February 2009.
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