Ensuring the power flows now and into the future – Proposed new substations

As the region’s 100 percent community owned lines company, our role is to ensure new homes and businesses can connect and there is enough capacity to meet the community’s needs now and in the future. The region is experiencing huge growth. We must maintain our network to supply safe and reliable power to our customers, while building new network to ensure we can power this growth and increasing capacity for existing customer’s ever-increasing demand for energy with new technology and innovations.

As an electricity distributor, we receive power from the national grid, then we distribute it to local people via nine zone substations and an extensive network measuring over 3,200km comprising of power lines, cables, transformers and other equipment. We are 100% locally owned, with shares held on behalf of local people by the Counties Energy Trust.

Future network investment
Counties Energy has identified a number of areas that require additional power capacity to meet future growth. New substations will be required to meet future needs in the area north of Pukekohe, Glenbrook and Kingseat. You can find out more information in the Asset Management Plan here.

The area north of Pukekohe area (Paerata, Drury West, Karaka and Runciman) is undergoing dramatic change. The region is experiencing huge growth, and we must build new network to cater for this growth.  Our local population is expected to triple by the mid-2000s. There is significant residential development currently under construction, while there is proposed rezoning of further extensive areas of land for residential and industrial development – as indicated in the Auckland Unitary Plan.

We must future-proof the electricity network now to cater for this growth. New electrical infrastructure is required to enable this expansion of both residential and industrial development, with electricity being particularly important for new and existing homes and businesses in the area.

Whangapouri Road Proposed Substation

A new substation is required to enable an adequate supply of electricity, with the new substation expected to supply more than 10,000 new households by around 2035. Counties Energy is looking to develop a piece of land for the future construction of a new substation at 8 Whangapouri Rd, Karaka. The chosen site is 0.6847ha. A substation here would supply the surrounding area, including new residential developments at Paerata Rise and Jesmond Rd. Based on our updated load forecast, the need for the Pukekohe North substation would be after 2033. The proposed site at 8 Whangapouri Rd is being planned for the substation many years in advance of the forecast build date.

Additional Information;

A new substation in the surrounding location is essential to meet the future demand for electricity anticipated within the wider area.

This site is expected to consist of a 110/22 kV substation; however, the final design and layout are to be determined.

Key criteria for the site choice were the size and contour of the location and proximity to the existing Counties Energy 22/11kV distribution network and arterial road routes for permitted activity corridor access.

Landscape visual assessments will be used to minimise the amenity effects of the utility building as much as possible. The substation building will be designed to blend into the environment, and if technically possible, its façade would resemble neighbouring buildings.

While detailed site designs are to be completed, it is envisaged that the final layout will be screened by mature plantings and high-quality fencing in fitting with the neighbouring area where applicable.

Counties Energy will take all reasonable steps to visually screen the substation from the road and neighbouring properties within the limitations of the design.

Counties Energy will consult with NZTA (Waka Kotahi) to ensure safety elements at the Karaka Rd-Whangapouri Rd intersection are considered both during and post construction.

As a good neighbour, Counties Energy takes pride in its properties, and the planned new substation would be well maintained at all times. Once completed, access to the site will be minimal, aside from regular maintenance.

Glenbrook Beach Proposed Substation

Counties Energy is looking to develop a new enclosed zone substation at 127 McLarin Rd, Glenbrook. The proposed site is 0.3358ha and adjacent to the new subdivision at Kahawai Point.  Network studies have been conducted to determine how to provide a safe and secure electricity supply for developments in the Glenbrook Beach, Clarks Beach, Karaka North and Kingseat areas. One of the outcomes of these studies is the need for a substation in the Glenbrook Beach area.

Based on our updated load forecast, the need for the Glenbrook Beach substation is beyond the current planning period (later than 2033). Therefore, this site is being procured for the substation many years in advance of the forecast build date.

Additional Information;

The proposed site is expected to consist of a 33/11 kV substation with two transformers supplied at 33 kV from the Transpower-Glenbrook GXP.

Due to the orientation of this proposed site, cable access is most likely to be underground from McLarin Rd, mitigating the need for overhead lines and reducing visual impact on the community

The proposed new substation will facilitate an adequate supply of electricity to the new and existing development in the area and is expected to supply more than 1000 new households in the Glenbrook zone.

Key criteria for the proposed site choice were the size and contour of the location, proximity to the existing Counties Energy 33/11kV distribution network, and ability for the substation to be well-screened and reduce the visual impact on the community.

The proposed enclosed substation will allow for better outcomes for any adjacent properties and the site was chosen to minimise the amenity effects of the utility building as much as possible. It will allow Counties Energy to optimise the operation, layout, and visual mitigation of the proposed substation development on the site.

The site is well screened visually with native plantings, and Counties Energy would further enhance this screening with additional plantings and quality fencing in keeping with the environment and neighbouring properties.

Native plantings around the substation would be chosen to encourage native birdlife, which is also supported by the planned underground cabling and plantings in the adjacent subdivision.

As a good neighbour, Counties Energy takes pride in its properties, and the planned new substation would be well maintained at all times. Once completed, access to the site will be minimal, aside from regular maintenance.

Waiau Pa Proposed Substation

Counties Energy seeks a designation to enable the construction of a new enclosed zone substation at 554a Kingseat Rd, Kingseat. The chosen site is 0.7324 ha and adjacent to Kingseat Rd. Network studies have been conducted to determine how to provide a safe and secure electricity supply for developments in the Waiau Pa, Karaka North and Kingseat areas. One of the outcomes of these studies is the need for a substation in the Waiau Pa area. In our 2022 AMP Update, the need for the Waiau Pa substation falls in FY26. The timing of the substation may be revised as a result of the updated load forecast, which feeds into the AMP. Therefore, this site is being procured for the substation some years in advance of the forecast build date.

Additional Information;

This proposed site is expected to consist of a 33/11 kV substation with two transformers supplied at 33 kV from Transpower-Glenbrook GXP.

Due to the orientation of this proposed site, cable access is most likely to be overhead along the Kingseat Rd corridor overhead network, which is subject to final network detailed design.

The new substation will facilitate an adequate supply of electricity to the new and existing development in the area and is expected to supply more than 1000 new households in the Kingseat zone.

Key criteria for the site choice were the size and contour of the location, proximity to the existing Counties Energy 33/11kV distribution network and ability for the substation to be well-screened and reduce visual impact on the community.

Therefore, the work and designation are deemed necessary to meet the future demand for electricity anticipated with Waiau Pa development and the wider area. In addition, the proposed enclosed substation will allow for better outcomes for any adjacent properties and the site was chosen to minimise the amenity effects of the utility building as much as possible. The designation would also allow Counties Energy to optimise the operation, layout, and visual mitigation of the substation development on the site. In addition, the site can be screened visually with native plantings on the site’s southern side.

Counties Energy will further enhance this screening with additional plantings and quality fencing in keeping with the environment and neighbouring properties. The substation building will be designed to blend into the environment, and if technically possible, its façade will resemble neighbouring buildings. Native plantings around the substation will be chosen to encourage native birdlife. As a good neighbour, Counties Energy takes pride in its properties, and the planned new substation would always be well maintained. Once completed, access to the site will be minimal, aside from regular maintenance.

Further information on these proposed new substations or any other proposed in other areas will be updated as information becomes available.

Concept plans of the proposed Waiau Pa Substation at build completion and with proposed mature plantings which will border the site.