Major milestone reached at Raramai Tunnel power upgrade
MainPower has reached a significant milestone in its Cheviot to Kaikōura Sub-Transmission Line Upgrade following the successful replacement of electricity towers near the Raramai Tunnel this week.
Main Power Chief Executive Sean Horgan says crews removed the existing cliff-top tower on Tuesday, installing two replacement towers as part of work to strengthen the region’s electricity network.
“The complexities of the site, located beside State Highway 1 and the coastal rail line, meant careful planning and coordination was required to safely manage traffic, rail movements and crane operations. Our teams did a great job and we’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we carried out this essential work.”
The original tower was removed from the 90m high clifftop site in one piece and replaced with two new 15.2m towers that will carry the high voltage line from the coast inland to Cheviot. The entire operation took just under three hours to complete.
The power lines were replaced using helicopters on Wednesday.
Mr Horgan says upgrading the sub-transmission line from 33 kV to 66 kV capable is an important step in supporting population growth and maintaining network capacity and reliability across the region.
“Work will continue on the wider Cheviot to Kaikōura upgrade with designs of Oaro Zone Substation completed and construction of a new Kaikōura Zone Substation set to begin later this year. This will ensure reliability and continuity of supply for Kaikōura and the surrounding areas. As the number of customers on our network grows, the network must grow with it. By proactively increasing the sub-transmission line capacity, we are prepared for future demand growth and increased network resilience.
“We’re building ahead of growth so our communities can rely on the network today and well into the future.”
