Mt Munro wind farm
We’re proposing to build a 20-turbine wind farm at Mt Munro, approximately five kilometres south of Eketāhuna in northern Wairarapa.
The site sits on three privately owned properties, which would continue to operate as working sheep and beef farms. As proposed, the wind farm would produce around 300 gigawatt hours of renewable energy annually – enough to supply up to 42,000 average homes.
A resource consent application was lodged in May 2023 with the four relevant consenting authorities: Horizons Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Masterton District Council and Tararua District Council.
Their report was released in March 2024. Meridian has now lodged a consent application with the Environment Court, which will make the final decision on whether or not to approve our proposal. Our request to apply to the Environment Court was granted by Horizons Regional Council in November 2023.
Details of the proposed project:
- Up to 20 wind turbines would be located on three privately owned properties, which would continue to operate as working sheep and beef farms.
- The turbines would produce around 300 gigawatt hours of renewable energy annually, enough to supply up to 42,000 average homes.
- The turbines would be spaced in ways that made best use of prevailing wind conditions on the sites and also balance any potential effects.
- The turbines would have blade diameters of up to 136 metres, a maximum height above ground level to a tip height of up to 160 metres and an approximate capacity of 4.5 megawatts each.
- Up to 14 turbines would be closely spaced along the site’s main ridgeline envelope area (blue shaded area on map), with two further groups, each up to three turbines, on the lower hills to the northwest of the main ridge.
- Access to the site for construction and operation would be via Old Coach Road North. Internal wind farm roading would be based on existing farm tracks.
- The 3.5-kilometre transmission line connecting the wind farm to the national grid would use steel or concrete poles up to 20 metres high.
- The substation would be located near the point near where the transmission line connects with Transpower’s 110-kilovolt line, on the corner of Kaiparoro Road and State Highway 2.
Mt Munro wind farm project visual simulation
Mt Munro wind farm project site map and location
What happens next?
We’ve lodged the application formally with the Environment Court and expect that a hearing will be held in September 2024.
In December 2023, we applied to the Court for some directions to streamline the process for all parties. On 25 January 2024, the Court granted the application and directed that we upload the Court’s decision to our website once the formal proceedings were lodged with the Court. The decision is at the link below. It has also been sent directly to everyone who made submissions on the application.
Environment court decision - 25 January 2024
All information on our resource consent application and the submission process can be found on the Horizons Regional Council website by clicking on the link below:
Latest project updates
To receive our Mt Munro community newsletter, please email mtmunro@meridianenergy.co.nz
Tackling Zero
Tackling Zero is Meridian’s quarterly newsletter for people whose roles or studies are focused on sustainability, or for whom this is an area of interest. Each issue will offer Meridian’s insights into a topical sustainability issue, as well as stories on how we, our customers and supply chain partners are tackling sustainability. It also includes links to recent Meridian disclosures such as new policies and reports.