Power upgrade surges ahead | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Wairarapa people, especially drivers heading north, have been monitoring the progress of a major electricity upgrade project as it worms its way steadily towards Masterton.

Transpower crews and contractors have been strengthening and replacing poles and swapping the existing 110kv wires with thicker wire on the Mangamaire to Masterton section of a two-stage project that started last year in Woodville.

The multimillion-dollar project won final approval from the Electricity Commission when it was shown the age and deteriorating condition of the wires warranted it.

Transpower developed a plan to run the new lines across farmland and along sections of existing highway with minimal disruption to customers and produced a consultation document in 2008 in readiness for the commission's final approval of the $17.4 million project.

Stage one replaced the poles and wires from just north of Woodville to Mangamaire and the second stage, started last week, is due to be finished in mid October.

Essentially the work means replacing old copper wires of 12.47mm diameter with new aluminium ones of 22.75mm in diameter.

This will provide greater power-carrying capacity, allowing more power to be transferred and therefore greater security of supply to the region.

Transpower expects the new work will also mean less line noise and interference to radio frequencies.