AURORA ENERGY LIMITED
PO Box 5140, Dunedin 9058
PH 0800 22 00 05
WEB www.auroraenergy.co.nz
Thursday 2 November 2023
PROJECT NOTIFICATION: QUEENSTOWN ZONE SUBSTATION UPGRADE
Dear Fiona and Queenstown Primary School wider community,
Aurora Energy (your local electricity distribution company) is partway through a large, five-year work programme and is investing over $500 million to upgrade the network. As part of this, we have a project underway to upgrade the Queenstown zone substation. This project will future-proof the network and strengthen the electricity supply for the Queenstown community.
Access
As you will be aware, the project site is in close proximity to both the Queenstown Primary School and the Wakatipu Kindergarten. Due to the nature of the area, we are constrained by size. In order to prioritise and manage safety access, we need to temporarily close the walkway and access route for pedestrians and traffic. We appreciate the impact this may have on children and parents, especially during drop-off and pick-up times, however when undertaking this work these measures need to be put in place to ensure the safety of all community members.
We will erect a sign around the site soon, to advise people the access way is closed and provide alternative directions.
Planned work
The project will see the construction of a new control room and switchgear building, new indoor 11 kV switchgear and complete replacement of the electrical protection and control systems. The replacement of the existing retaining wall will also be completed to ensure that the new buildings can be constructed to an earthquake rating of ‘Importance Level 4’.
The construction of the new retaining wall is currently underway and will continue to the end of 2023. This will ensure the long-term stability of the site and improve safety for all users.
The work programme (including preparation work, construction, and electrical work) will start in 2024 and continue into 2025. This project will also lay the groundwork for the future outdoor 33 kV switchgear replacement project, where a new indoor switchgear building will be constructed after 2030.
What are the benefits?
The Queenstown zone substation supplies over 2,600 customers in the Queenstown and Glenorchy area and is an important switching station as it connects to the Commonage and Fernhill zone substations and also the Frankton Grid Exit Point (where Aurora Energy connects to Transpower’s national grid).As well as managing our existing assets, we are also planning for the future to ensure the network is adequate to meet the demand growth of the community, in terms of both population and an increasing demand for electricity as people make lifestyle changes to reduce carbon emissions.
You can read more about this here.
Community engagement
We are aware the site is close to education centres and local businesses and we are working closely with stakeholders to ensure the safety of the students and public. You can keep up to date with the project on our website www.auroraenergy.co.nz/how-we-manage-the-network/major-projects/queenstown-zone-substation-upgrade
Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about the project, please call us on 0800 22 00 05 or send us an enquiry through our website at www.auroraenergy.co.nz
Kind regards,
Ben Bulling
Aurora Energy Project Manager