MainPower secures future for Mt Cass Wind Farm through strategic transition

MainPower is pleased to announce the successful transfer of development rights for the Mt Cass Wind Farm to Yinson Renewables, marking an exciting new chapter for renewable energy in North Canterbury. This 94.6 MW project is expected to be operational in 2028 and will generate over 300 GWh of clean electricity annually, enough to power approximately 40,000 homes.

After many years of development work, MainPower is proud to have enabled this important renewable energy project to be built, delivering ongoing benefits for our shareholders and communities. MainPower has worked closely with Yinson Renewables to ensure continuity for stakeholders as the project transitions to new ownership.

While Yinson Renewables will lead construction and operations, MainPower will continue to play a vital role building and maintaining the local electricity infrastructure required to connect the wind farm to the network. MainPower will also remain a landowner, hosting seven turbines on its land. Building on significant ecological work already undertaken, this land will become a conservation management area for future generations to enjoy.

Community engagement has been central to the Mt Cass Wind Farm from the outset, and this collaboration strengthens that commitment.

Tony King, MainPower Board Chair, shared how proud MainPower is of its continued commitment to renewable energy by supporting Yinson Renewables in delivering this sustainable energy project.

“Mt Cass has always been about delivering long-term benefits for our region and supporting New Zealand’s renewable energy future. This transition ensures the project moves forward with strong expertise while maintaining MainPower’s role in connecting communities to clean energy.”

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Important notifications

Hot water load testing under way ahead of winter

Until mid‑April, we’re working closely with retailers to carry out hot water load testing as we prepare our network for the coming winter season.

These tests run for a couple of hours each day, Monday to Friday, with no testing taking place over weekends. Because each test window is relatively short, customers are unlikely to notice any changes to their hot water supply.

The purpose of this work is to help us better understand how much controllable load is available during the summer months. Gaining accurate insights now means we can model customer savings more effectively by reducing system load at peak times. It also helps us assess whether this load flexibility could assist Transpower in deferring an upcoming local transmission upgrade.

This testing is an important part of ensuring a resilient, efficient network that supports our community.

MainPower Trust elections

Voting is open for the 2026 MainPower Trust election.

Voting packs have been emailed or posted by Electionz.com to everyone who pays a power bill on the MainPower network. You need to have the unique ID provided to cast your vote.

If you haven’t received a voting pack, or can’t find it, you can get a replacement by contacting iro@electionz.com.  For full details of the candidates, visit mainpowertrust.co.nz/trustee-elections/

Make the most of this opportunity to have your say on the future of MainPower – and your community.

Voting closes midday Friday 6 March 2026. 

Privacy Policy

Is your outage not listed?

Troubleshoot your outage
Treat all lines as live during the outage period; power may be restored at any time. If you require further information, please call MainPower’s 24-hour faults line. To report an emergency, call 111.

Outage notifications

Hot water load testing under way ahead of winter

Until mid‑April, we’re working closely with retailers to carry out hot water load testing as we prepare our network for the coming winter season.

These tests run for a couple of hours each day, Monday to Friday, with no testing taking place over weekends. Because each test window is relatively short, customers are unlikely to notice any changes to their hot water supply.

The purpose of this work is to help us better understand how much controllable load is available during the summer months. Gaining accurate insights now means we can model customer savings more effectively by reducing system load at peak times. It also helps us assess whether this load flexibility could assist Transpower in deferring an upcoming local transmission upgrade.

This testing is an important part of ensuring a resilient, efficient network that supports our community.

MainPower Trust elections

Voting is open for the 2026 MainPower Trust election.

Voting packs have been emailed or posted by Electionz.com to everyone who pays a power bill on the MainPower network. You need to have the unique ID provided to cast your vote.

If you haven’t received a voting pack, or can’t find it, you can get a replacement by contacting iro@electionz.com.  For full details of the candidates, visit mainpowertrust.co.nz/trustee-elections/

Make the most of this opportunity to have your say on the future of MainPower – and your community.

Voting closes midday Friday 6 March 2026. 

Privacy Policy

Is your outage not listed?

Troubleshoot your outage
Treat all lines as live during the outage period; power may be restored at any time. If you require further information, please call MainPower’s 24-hour faults line. To report an emergency, call 111.

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