Te Awamutu High Voltage Cable Project
We’re making big improvements to our network in Te Awamutu.
Our project to upgrade high voltage cables will ensure our community gets a reliable power supply for many years to come.
What’s happening
The underground cables which were installed in 1966 require an upgrade to make sure our community in Te Awamutu and surrounds have a reliable power supply. From 28 May 2024, mahi will start to install new 11kV underground power cables along Racecourse Road.
This work involves directional drilling and trenching in the berm, footpath and carriageway. We anticipate minimal disruption to property access or from noise.
Our traffic management teams will be running a one-way lane closure during the day along Racecourse Road between Mangapiko St and Factory Road. Any detours will be clearly sign-posted.
We appreciate your patience while we carry out this important mahi for the community.
Where it all started
1966: The original underground cables laid in Te Awamutu along Racecourse Road. They’ve done a great job for almost 60 years, but now it’s time for a much-needed upgrade to service our community.
These cables cross the Racecourse Road bridge and lead back toward Te Awamutu township. They light up the streets and also connect to the Te Awamutu substation. They are definitely cables fit for many purposes servicing a population of about 5,000 back in 1966 to a population of about 13,500 now.
Project Updates
Work kicked off on the Te Awamutu high voltage cables project in May and it’s really coming along! Check out these photos showing the progress on-site.
August 2024
The team’s been busy on Racecourse Road, where the site has been prepped, and ducting and new cables have been fed through trenches and underground using directional drilling techniques.
This ducting will safely house the 11kV underground cable. We feed the cable through one end using lubrication to assist with the pulling of the cable.
11kV cable is rolled out from the truck to feed into the trench prepared earlier.
Doing the hard mahi. The team feed the cable from the truck into the trench, clearing the way for the cable to ensure its laid perfectly.
July 2024
We’ve had some chilly morning starts in the last month, which have provided some incredible morning photos. Despite the weather, the project’s still on track.
Traffic management systems have been in place so we can safely carry out work along Racecourse Road. We’ve also put in place temporary pathways so residents can still access the area around our work site.
Deep trenches need to be made to lay the underground cable. Here you can see our team using a small digger to push the cable into the trenches.
Thermal backfill is filled around cables/ducts to absorb the heat they give off due to the loading on the cables. It is then covered with topsoil for reinstatement.
June 2024
Contractors have been excavating on the site adjacent to the substation and on the reserve to prepare for the cables to be laid across Racecourse Road and through to the substation.
As part of preparing the site for the cables to go underground, Waikato Trees trims and removes some non-native trees. We’ll look to replace any trees that have been removed with native ones once the major works are complete.
Progress! These photos show the large pipes through which the 11kV cables will be fed to house them underground.
Temporary fencing is placed around our work sites to ensure safety for you and the wider community due to the hazards present in the area where we are working.
May 2024
Retailers have been sending out notices to advise if properties will have any impact on their power supply while we undertake this mahi. Our team and contractor, Bayonne, have also been meeting neighbours directly impacted.
Winter 2023
We have been updating poles throughout the Winter to make sure the surrounding infrastructure is up-to-date and ready to go before our major project work gets underway.
2022-2023
We’ve been gathering consents from central and local government and working with Mana Whenua to ensure everything is ready to go before we get started.
August 2022
We’re planning for the future. Te Awamutu and the surrounding areas are growing! New 11,000-volt infrastructure is needed, so we’ve developed a plan to install this along Racecourse Road between Mangapiko Street and Factory Road. The map shows where this work will be carried out.
Te Awamutu high voltage project FAQs
We’re installing new 11 kV underground power cables along Racecourse Road to improve our infrastructure and meet the future needs of a growing Waipā population.
The current cables have come to the end of their life and are no longer sufficient and need to be upgraded to enhance our network's capacity. This is crucial for meeting current needs and preparing our communities for future population growth. Taking these proactive steps now ensures that you and our communities have a reliable and sustainable energy framework for years to come.
The existing underground 11kV cables were installed in 1966, and Te Awamutu has grown a lot since then. While they’ve served you – the community - well, they need to be replaced to ensure a reliable power supply for the future.
We'll have new, more reliable cables that will make sure our network has a reliable and strong power supply for years to come.
The project is on track. We aim for the project to be finished early next year.
Waipā Networks is running and carrying out the project with the support Bayonne (our contractor) and traffic management crews.
We'll be drilling and trenching around the substation area and upgrading polls and connections. We'll try to keep disruptions to a minimum, but as we upgrade some of these assets, there will be planned outages to allow the work to be completed safely. We'll do our best to give you a heads-up if your property will be affected, and coordinate the outages at off-peak times where possible.
Also, there will be one-way lane closures along Racecourse Road between Mangapiko St and Factory Road. Again, we’ll be sure to give you a heads up before these are in place.
Along Racecourse Road between Mangapiko Street and Tawhiao Street.
Got a question?
We are happy to answer any questions you may have – contact our team on 0800 800 769.
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