ComCom consults on $14.59m for Transpower’s South Auckland network

The Commerce Commission has released for consultation a draft decision allowing Transpower to spend an additional $14.59 million upgrading its transmission network to meet increasing demand for electricity in South Auckland.

Part of that increased electricity demand is expected to come from the area’s new electric buses operating from the officially opened Puhinui Station transport hub, with the proposed investment to replace conductors on the Otahuhu-Wiri transmission line and enhance the towers and foundations required to support the new conductors.

Commission deputy chair Sue Begg says its role as a regulator is to ensure that Transpower invests appropriately in its transmission network for the long-term benefit of electricity users.

“The conductors on the Otahuhu-Wiri transmission have deteriorated to the point that electricity supply in South Auckland would be at risk if the required work is not done,” she says.

“We believe that this additional investment is necessary to ensure that the network continues to meet the rapidly growing demand for energy in the area. Before we make a final decision, we are interested in hearing the views of other stakeholders.”

The investment is in addition to $36m already approved by the commission on March 19, 2021 for two new transformers in the Bombay-Otahuhu region.

Transpower applied on May 14 to amend the outputs of that approval because when it submitted the proposal it had not completed its investigation of the scope of reconductoring needed on the Otahuhu-Wiri transmission line.

Its assessment identified numerous conductors that needed to be replaced to ensure continued safe operation but that were outside the scope of its normal replacement programme.

Submissions to the Commerce Commission close at 5pm on August 10, 2021.