What is the project?
Net Zero Grid Pathways covers our plans and investments on the backbone of Aotearoa’s electricity transmission grid to meet the challenges we face in enabling the electrification of the economy and meeting our nation’s decarbonisation targets. This includes connecting new renewable generation and maintaining a secure and reliable supply of electricity.
It has two phases - enhancing the existing grid backbone to 2035, and the likely need for a larger grid backbone with new interconnections beyond 2035.
When we started this work, our focus was on enabling the wider transmission of the renewable energy used by New Zealand’s Aluminium Smelter at Tiwai Point, originally tipped for closure in mid 2021. In March 2021 we expanded our focus to include addressing how we would enable new renewables and electrification across all of Aotearoa out to 2035 through developments in the grid backbone.
We plan to take a least regrets approach to identifying the range of upgrade projects needed on the grid. To do this we need industry and customer input. Transpower is only one link in the electricity delivery chain and the most efficient pathway will only be achieved if we can assist in creating a ‘joined up’ view of grid needs with our industry partners.
Latest Updates
View the latest Project News and related information here
August 2022: NZGP1 Stage 1 shortlist consultation submissions received
On 19 August we published the submissions we received on our shortlist consultation (link below).
Transpower thanks submitters who have shared information through these consultation processes.
The submissions we received will help us further develop a preferred option and following that an MCP will be submitted in late 2022.
