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Photo simulation of Project Hayes
The Project Hayes site is approximately 70 kilometres north-west of Dunedin, and is situated on the Lammermoor Range.
The core project area involves five different Stations. The wind farm would have up to 176 wind turbines, generating up to 630 MW, within the Central Otago District Council's boundary.
Meridian first lodged resource consent applications for Project Hayes with the Central Otago District Council in July 2006 and the next year in October 2007 with the Otago Regional Council.
Resource consents were granted by both councils but those decisions were appealed to the Environment Court. The Environment Court Hearing commenced in May 2008 and after three adjournments was completed in February this year.A decision on Project Hayes is expected to be released later in the year.
Project Hayes would help ensure the South Island has a secure supply of generation over the coming years. Meridian believes wind power in conjunction with hydro will give New Zealand a well balanced and secure renewable electricity supply.
The project is named after engineer and inventor Eben Ernest Hayes, one of the first New Zealanders to recognise and harness the commercial application of wind power in Central Otago. Hayes developed a wind mill to power his engineering works from 1910 until about 1927, and also invented a wind mill for pumping water that was used on many farms.
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