28 Apr 2026
The Commerce Commission has today given its final approval for Transpower’s $47 million investment to complete the rebuild of Redclyffe substation, further boosting resilience and reliability of electricity supply in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti.
The work will mark the culmination of three years of effort to build the local transmission infrastructure back better after the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Executive General Manager Grid Development Matt Webb said the next phase is a rebuild of the main 220kV switchyard to raise essential equipment out of the reach of 1-in-450-year flooding events and boost earthquake resilience.
“Cyclone Gabrielle caused the greatest loss of power supply the region has ever experienced, and we made a commitment to the people of Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti that we would work to make their power supply more resilient to future extreme weather and seismic events.”
“The Commerce Commission has rigorously tested our plans and today’s approval means we can now complete the rebuild of the main 220kV switchyard, safeguarding the region’s electricity supply by raising essential equipment out of the reach of potential floodwaters,” he said.
Significant work has already been completed to boost resilience, and an additional larger capacity transformer was installed last year to almost double the amount of electricity that can be imported into the region via Transpower’s high voltage national electricity transmission grid as New Zealand looks to an electrified future.
Mr Webb said the package of post-Gabrielle work was planned alongside local lines company partners Unison Networks and Firstlight Network in consultation with local communities and businesses.
“New Zealanders have an opportunity to use their abundant renewable energy resources to electrify at pace to drive economic growth and underpin our prosperity,” he said.
“This work will enable businesses and communities in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti to move into that electrified future with confidence.”
Transpower will commence the rebuild in October this year, with works expected to be completed by December 2027. There will be no interruption to local electricity supply during the rebuild.
More information about the work at Redclyffe can be found here.
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For more information or images, please contact Transpower’s communications team at [email protected] or 021 195 8613.