Background

The Electricity Commission (Commission) is required, as set out in Part F of the Electricity Governance Rules 2003 (Rules), to consult on, and approve (or not) investments proposed by Transpower in a Grid Upgrade Plan (GUP). 

On 30 September 2005, Transpower New Zealand Limited (Transpower) submitted a GUP to the Commission which included a proposal for a 'reliability investment' to construct a new 400kV double circuit line between Whakamaru near Tokoroa, and Otahuhu in South Auckland (Original Proposal).

On 27 April 2006, the Commission gave notice under rule 15.1 of section III of part F of the Rules that it intended to decline to approve the Original Proposal.  The Commission then commenced a consultation process on the Original Proposal and its draft decision to decline to approve it

On 31 May 2006, Transpower informed the Commission of its intention to amend the Original Proposal. Transpower also asked the Commission to suspend its consideration of the Original Proposal and the Commission agreed to such suspension.

Transpower advised the Commission that it intended to provide another proposal for the Commission's consideration and that it no longer wished to progress the specific 400kV proposal to which to the notice of intention issued on 27 April 2006 relates.  Accordingly, the Board of the Commission revoked the notice of intention pdf [11 KB] issued on 27 April 2006.

On 20 October 2006, Transpower submitted its Proposal.  

Process and timeline

The process to consider Transpower’s 20 October 2006 Proposal consists of a number of steps:

• Receipt and assessment of proposal; opportunity for interested parties to provide comment and request the Commission consider alternatives;
• Assessment of comments and requests to consider alternatives;
• Decision;
• Consultation and public conference (assuming one is requested); and
• Confirmation or amendment of decision.

In accordance with rule 13.2 of section III of part F of the Rules, the Commission has agreed the following process and timeline for the Commission’s consideration of the 20 October 2006 Proposal. 

• Process updated June 2007 pdf [20 KB]
• Timeline updated June 2007 pdf [22 KB]   This timeline is subject to change
  

Index

Relevant information for interested parties is included in the pages below.

20 October 2006 Proposal – details of Transpower’s Proposal.

Comments and alternatives – details of how interested parties can provide comments on the Proposal and request the Commission consider alternatives.

Decision (January 2007) – details of the Commission’s notice of intention to approve the Proposal and the reasons for that decision.

Final Decision (July 2007) - details of the Commission's final decision to approve Transpower's North Island Grid Upgrade Proposal and the reasons for that decision.

Written submissions and public conference process – details about how to make a written submission and how to participate in the public conference process.

Original proposal – details of Transpower’s original proposal and the Commission’s consideration of that original proposal.

High Court decision on judicial review - On 4 May 2009, the High Court turned down a request for judicial review of the Commission's approval of a transmission project from Whakamaru to Pakuranga, Auckland. In July 2007, the Commission approved Transpower's proposal for the North Island Grid Upgrade project (NIGU). In August 2008, New Era Energy, a group representing affected land owners, asked the court to quash the decision.

• High Court judgement pdf [124 KB]