Upgrade proves hot work for Transpower

By CHRIS DANIELS

Transpower, in the middle of a public mauling over plans for a new powerline through the Waikato, may have a new challenge on its hands as it tries to upgrade a crucial powerline through Auckland.

The state-owned enterprise has started work on an upgrade of the 220-kilovolt line running between Otahuhu and Henderson to increase its capacity by 30 per cent.

When complete, the line, which at present is allowed to run at a maximum heat of 70C as it runs across heavily built-up suburbs such as Mt Roskill and Blockhouse Bay, will be able to operate at 120C.

Contractors are raising the lines by 2.5m to make sure extra sagging caused by higher power flows does not bring them dangerously close to the ground.

Transpower said the work was minor and was permitted under the Electricity Act. When it wants to switch on the extra flow, however, it needs resource consent from the Auckland City Council.

Onehunga businessman Jim Jackson, who runs an electrical manufacturing business underneath the powerlines, is upset at the lack of public consultation surrounding the upgrade plans.

He said not only would the increased power flows need to be put to the public, but the work being done now by Transpower was affecting computer screens at his business. He said he had refused a compensation offer of $15,000 from Transpower.

Auckland City Council project manager Graeme Michie said a decision on what sort of consultation would be needed for the upgrade was yet to be made.

Big plans

Besides increasing power capacity through Auckland, Transpower has proposed a new 200km transmission line to Otara from the southern part of the Waikato River.

The line is likely to run across the land of about 1000 farmers and rural landowners.

The $500 million plan is attracting some vigorous opposition.