en.Wedoany.com Reported - Meridian Energy has obtained the remaining resource consents from the Palmerston North City Council to proceed with the 172MW repowering and upgrade project at the Te Rere Hau wind farm in the Manawatū region.

Located in the Tararua Ranges near Palmerston North, the Te Rere Hau wind farm was built in 2006, initially equipped with five 500kW turbines, and currently features 91 turbines with a total installed capacity of 45.5MW. The repowering plan involves replacing the existing turbines with up to 40 new units, increasing the total capacity to 172MW. This project is the first of its kind among wind farms in New Zealand, and it is expected that annual renewable energy generation will reach seven times the current level once the repowering is completed.

Meridian formed a 50-50 joint venture with NZ Windfarms in October 2023 to repower and expand the Te Rere Hau wind farm, and completed the full acquisition of NZ Windfarms in July 2025 to expand its renewable energy generation portfolio and achieve more efficient project financing.

The newly granted consents allow for the relocation of an Airways communication facility. Meridian stated that further minor road upgrades will still require additional consents.

Improvement work on the access road to the site has already begun, but the final investment decision by the Meridian board is not expected until early 2027.

Meridian Chief Executive Mike Roan said the project has been complex and taken longer than expected, making it a special moment for both the project and the team. Wind plays an important role in its energy mix, helping to preserve hydro storage, and Te Rere Hau is one of the best wind farm sites in New Zealand, which was a key driver behind Meridian's acquisition of NZ Windfarms in 2025.

Roan added that starting road improvement work ahead of the final investment decision means getting a head start and compressing the construction timeline, bringing these megawatts into the energy system as early as possible.