New Plymouth Airport Solar Farm – Te Matakupenga
A project with meaning - 14,400 panels. 14,700 MWh. 1,500+ tonnes of CO₂ avoided each year.
Drive past New Plymouth Airport, and you’ll see something special, Te Matakupenga, Taranaki’s first large-scale solar farm, generating clean energy directly into the Powerco network.
NPE-Tech was engaged by Powerco Transmission Services to refine the original design and deliver the full interconnection between the solar farm and the network. This included the supply, installation and commissioning of all components required to bring the 14,400-panel solar farm online.
In addition to the network connection, NPE-Tech also delivered infrastructure to support a new rapid EV charging station at the airport, a first for the team.
Scope & Delivery
- High-voltage electrical installation, protection settings and specialist communications
- Installation of a dedicated ring main unit (RMU) and transformer for EV charging infrastructure
- Five-span reconductoring along the airport’s main access route
- Significant civil works as the design evolved
- Ongoing 1st fix, 2nd fix, programming, testing and commissioning
- Full collaboration from all 3 NPE-Tech branches – Tauranga, Palmerston North and New Plymouth – pulling together resources, plant and expertise across the Feisst Group
Special Features
- Fully automated ABB ring main unit
- Two Siemens 8DJH RMU's with specialist protection programming
- High-speed, rapid EV charger supply and installation
- Civil works adapted and managed as site conditions changed
A Project with Meaning
Te Matakupenga refers to the woven net used by Māui to slow the journey of Tama-nui-te-rā, the sun, allowing longer days.
Gifted by Puketapu Hapū, the name reflects both the whakapapa of the region and the connection between traditional Māori knowledge and modern sustainability, capturing the sun’s energy to generate power for the future.
With 14,400 solar panels generating up to 14,700 MWh annually, the solar farm prevents more than 1,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. It has made New Plymouth Airport largely self-sufficient in energy, while also creating the opportunity to export surplus power back to the network.
Project Outcomes
Despite the scale and complexity of the project, including multiple design revisions, specialist subcontracted works, and significant civil scope, the project was successfully delivered through strong collaboration across all three NPE-Tech branches.
The reconductoring works alone required a full team effort, bringing together resources, plant and expertise from across the business to deliver on a critical section of infrastructure.
The successful completion of Te Matakupenga has led to ongoing opportunities, with NPE-Tech now:
- Appointed as the sole electrical contractor for New Plymouth Airport
- Engaged as the maintenance provider for the solar farm
- Supporting ongoing upgrades and new electrical connections across the airport
This project stands as a milestone for NPE-Tech, demonstrating our capability in delivering complex, high-voltage infrastructure and renewable energy solutions at scale.
Watch the opening of Te Matakupenga in the video to the left.
