Todd to build $100m power station in Taranaki

A gas-fired power station at Huntly, similar to that which will be developed by Todd Energy near Waitara. Photo / NZ Herald

Todd Energy is to build a $100 million gas-fired power station alongside its McKee oil and gas production station near Waitara in Taranaki.

Todd managing director Richard Tweedie said the new station would be capable of generating up to 100 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough to power up to 100,000 homes.

"We're signing the contracts this week. We've already made the necessary arrangements with GE for the supply of two 50MW gas-fired turbines, and we're planning for the construction work to begin fairly early next year," he told the Taranaki Daily News.

The project will include the erection of about 17km of power lines that will feed electricity to the Transpower network.

Tweedie said Todd Energy planned to have the station fully-commissioned by 2012, in time to meet winter's peak demands for power.

"A hundred megawatts will be significant peaking capacity, but we intend running base load as well. It'll allow us to use a considerable amount of gas each year from our own resources."

Todd confirmed that the decision to build the new power station was the result of growing confidence that its Mangahewa onshore field contains substantial amounts of gas.

"We know there's more gas down there," said Tweedie.

- NZPA