Tararua wind farm grows

Expansion work at the Tararua wind farm has started.

TrustPower is adding 55 turbines to the 48 at its wind farm on the Tararua Ranges. The project will cost $60 million.

Roads are being built first and cables laid, and construction of the first of the 40m towers will begin next month.

The project is expected to take until next May.

The extra 55 turbines will more than double the wind farm's generation capacity, the point where it can power 32,000 homes.

Meanwhile, Meridian Energy has applied for resource consent to build a $100-million, 55-turbine wind farm on the Ruahine Ranges.