New Plymouth CBD upgrade

Downer crew member wearing PPE smiling Downer crew member wearing PPE smiling Downer crew member wearing PPE smiling

 

From late-April 2023 onwards we're working to upgrade parts of the electricity network in the New Plymouth CBD.

This work will help ensure your power supply remains reliable and that there's capacity available as New Plymouth continues to grow into the future.

This work will take a number of months to complete.

We’ll be working hard to minimise the disruption to you, and we appreciate your patience and co-operation as we carry out this essential work.

 

What's happening

We’re installing new 11kV underground cable, transformers and other electrical equipment as well as conducting some work at our New Plymouth City Substation on Carrington Street (see the map below for areas affected).

The work will be carried out by our contractors Downer, as well as Drillco who will conduct the drilling work.

 

What this means for you

Traffic and footpath management will be in place as needed while work is conducted. You’ll see heavy machinery in places. 

There will also be some planned outages in the area to allow our contractors to work safely. If you're affected by a planned outage you’ll receive advance notification from your retailer. (If you’ll be affected by multiple outages, you’ll receive separate notification for each one).

** Update June 2023 **

  • Over June and July we’ll be installing new underground cable ducts beneath Courtenay Street, partway up Currie Street, and up Church Lane.
  • Then, over August and September we’ll be installing the new cable within the ducts throughout the upgrade area. 
  • We’ll also be installing a new transformer within the carpark of the Beca building (formerly the TNL building) on the corner of Courtenay and Currie Streets, and Ring Main Units on the corner of Carrington and Courtney Street, and on Victoria Road.

Over this time there will be a combination of road and lane closures, and traffic management (affecting both roads and footpaths) will be in place where needed.

  • Road closures will affect Victoria Road.
  • Lane closures/traffic management will affect Carrington, Powderham/Courtenay and Currie Streets.
  • Some lane closures will take place at night to minimise disruption.
  • Church Lane may require a road closure depending on whether our contractors are able to under-bore beneath the road surface, or need to conduct open-trench work. In the event that Church Lane will need to be closed for a period of time, we will be in touch directly with more information for you.

We know this work is disruptive and we’ll be working hard to ensure that your home or business remains accessible while the work is conducted.

Area of works

Digital map showing the area of works in central New Plymouth