This year will see three of Ventia’s New Zealand renewable energy projects come to fruition, when Omeheu Solar Farm, Tauhei Solar Farm and Kōwhai Park enter commissioning.
These projects, combined with grid connection projects across Australia, is a clear signal of the growing role that Ventia is playing to support the expansion of the transmission network and connect assets into the grid.
It’s also helping to address one of the electricity sector’s most critical needs, which is integrated, high voltage expertise that supports the energy transition.
Delivering grid connections for one of New Zealand’s largest solar farms
An example of the work that Ventia is delivering in the grid connections space is the Kōwhai Park solar farm, located near Christchurch. This project is a cornerstone of that region’s renewable energy strategy, supporting Christchurch’s transition to clean power and enabling future decarbonisation initiatives, including at Christchurch International Airport.
The Ventia team has been undertaking work on the Kōwhai Park Solar Farm since October 2023, initially on planning, design, procurement, and stakeholder engagement before commencing field work in August 2025.
The scope across the project includes the design, procurement and builds of two high-voltage substations and 17 km of 66kV cable installation, creating a resilient energy link between the solar farm, the airport, and Orion’s electricity network.
Helping to connect clean energy to where it is needed
Large-scale renewable generation requires robust infrastructure to connect to the grid. At Kōwhai Park, this means converting power from the solar farm’s 33,000 volts up to 66,000 volts at Pound Road substation, transmitting it via a 66,000-volt cable run that includes 4.5 km of trenching and installation (17 km of cable in total), and then stepping it back down to 33,000 volts at Grays Road substation for future connection to Christchurch International Airport and Orion’s electricity network.
The solution needs to handle high-voltage conversion, integrate with existing networks, and meet strict timelines without disrupting critical operations like airport runways.
“It’s one of the largest solar farms in New Zealand,” said Kalim Guthrie who is managing the project for Ventia.
“The many kilometres of high-voltage cable we are installing is a major engineering feat on its own, and the future connection to the airport adds a layer of strategic importance.”
Meeting the challenge of working near an international airport
One of the major challenges facing the team on this project is the requirement for underground cable installation to be done late at night when aircraft aren’t operating. It requires great planning and execution to dig the trench, put in ducting and then completely backfill the portion they have worked on before service at the airport resumes in the morning.
“It’s super time critical to stick to timeframes because the disruption to the airport would be huge otherwise,” Guthrie said.
To achieve this, Ventia has built strong relationships with subcontractors, local and international suppliers through early engagement and collaborative planning. The team has also partnered with experienced local contractors to streamline approvals and established a multidisciplinary team with expertise in health and safety, environmental management, quality assurance, and project delivery.
“Managing both substations under a single framework optimises resources, standardises processes, and reduces duplication,” Guthrie said.
“Collaboration with local contractors and suppliers is also creating opportunities for regional economic growth, ensuring the benefits of this project flow to the wider Canterbury community.”
For more information, visit www.ventia.com
