renewablesnow.com

Meridian reaches full power at 176-MW wind farm in New Zealand

Veselina Petrova

~2 minutes

The Harapaki wind farm in New Zealand. Image by: Meridian Energy.

Meridian Energy Ltd’s (NZE:MEL) 176-MW Harapaki wind farm in New Zealand, close to the country's eastern coast, has reached full commercial operations, the utility said on Friday.

The 41-turbine plant is the second-largest wind farm operating in New Zealand. The project was delivered within a month of its original completion date and within the NZD-448-million (USD 269.9m/EUR 247.8m) capital forecast.

“We’re now right in the middle of winter and every bit of generation helps,” said Guy Waipara, Meridian’s general manager development.

The Harapaki wind farm, located 50 km (31.1 mi) away from the port city of Napier and close to the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, will have an output that will be enough to supply over 70,000 average households. The wind park has been producing electricity since last November and had all of its SWT-DD-120 Siemens Gamesa turbines erected in May. Around 90% of its capacity was operational at end-June.

(NZD 1.0 = USD 0.603/EUR 0.553)