Northpower

08/09/2026

We’re proud to support the next generation of science and technology thinkers across Te Tai Tokerau! 🌱

At this year’s Central Northland Science Fair, Northpower sponsored the Year 7 and Year 9 Class Awards, as well as two premier awards.

This year also marks 10 years of the George (Hoori) Tuhiwai Memorial Award, celebrating his legacy and recognising the combination of mātauranga Māori and scientific inquiry.

Toihau Kumar de Bruin and Khan Boulet-Manning of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rāwhitiroa took out the award for their winning project, Te Ahi Kōmau, while Mika Lumbera received the Consistent Excellence Award for their outstanding achievement and dedication over the years.

A huge well done to all the students who took part! So much creativity and curiosity on display, and we’re proud to play a part in supporting their STEM journeys.

02/09/2026

The weather is looking great for our Community Planting Day at Puna Komaru this Saturday, and there’s still time to register! 🌱☀️

This is the final reminder that you are invited to join us and help grow a greener Northland by planting natives around our newest solar farm.

📅 Saturday, 5 September
📍 55 Pukeatua Road, Maungatapere
⏰ Planting starts at 10am
🌭 Complimentary sausage sizzle from 11am to 12 noon
🪏 Please bring a spade and gloves

After lending a hand, stay for a complimentary BBQ as a thank you for helping give back to the local environment.

Whether you're a keen gardener or simply want to support a local project, don't miss your chance to be part of this special community event and help make a lasting difference at Puna Komaru.

Spaces are limited, so register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=MXdYireU8EKAw5VfVUUvZYrcKV-Cc2VGgcP0vrUDbBxUN0xSOUg4Nk1XMUVLRFJSUDhDWUJKQUExUC4u

We hope to see you there 💚🌿

02/09/2026

Construction at Puna Komaru has reached another major milestone, with all civil works now complete and the final solar panel installed! ☀️

In this latest update, Lyndon Dahlberg, Operations, Maintenance and Site Lead for Renewables, talks us through the progress made over the past month, including the completion of all trenching and panel installation, as well as the project’s strong safety record.

With construction milestones being ticked off, the focus now turns to planting, with around 17,000–18,000 native plants already planted and more planned around the wetlands.

You can join us for a community planting day this weekend here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=MXdYireU8EKAw5VfVUUvZYrcKV-Cc2VGgcP0vrUDbBxUN0xSOUg4Nk1XMUVLRFJSUDhDWUJKQUExUC4u

30/08/2026

Protecting the environment is an important part of how we power Northland's future 🐟💧

As part of major upgrade works at the 114-year-old Wairua Power Station, Northpower partnered with Te Parawhau ki Korokota hapū and fish ecologist Dr Jacques Boubée to safely rescue and relocate tuna and other taonga species before the station's canal was drained for maintenance.

Together, the team returned 942 longfin tuna, 366 shortfin tuna, and 216 elvers and other taonga species to the Wairua River, while removing 6,824 pest fish to help protect vulnerable native species. The project also includes more than $2 million of investment in specialist screens and upgrades designed to improve tuna and elver survival.

Wairua Power Station has been generating renewable electricity for more than a century, and this project shows how partnership, environmental stewardship and investment can help protect cultural and ecological values while supporting the future of clean energy generation.

Learn more about this story and the people, projects and partnerships making a difference across our region in our Annual Report 👇

Working with hapu partners, Northpower undertook environmental protection efforts, relocating native species during maintenance works for Wairua Power Station.

27/08/2026

Inspiring the next generation of infrastructure professionals starts with creating opportunities to explore what's possible 👷‍♀️⚡

Northpower was proud to once again support and participate in the Girls in Infrastructure event at Semenoff Stadium, where Year 12 and 13 students from across Northland got hands-on experience with a range of careers in the industry.

From operating hydraulic equipment and building electrical circuits to assembling cross arms and crimping cables, students had the chance to try activities that reflect the work our teams do every day. They also heard directly from our Northpower wāhine, who shared their career journeys and experiences working in the infrastructure sector.

Initiatives like Girls in Infrastructure help broaden career awareness, break down barriers, and encourage more young women to consider pathways they may never have imagined.

Learn more about how we're supporting the next generation of infrastructure professionals in our Annual Report story below👇

Supporting Girls in Infrastructure, Northpower promoted career pathways and built industry capability by engaging young women in hands‑on learning experiences.

26/08/2026

Our Community Planting Day at Puna Komaru solar farm is just around the corner, and there’s still time to get involved! 🌱

This is a friendly reminder that you are invited to join us and help grow a greener Northland by planting natives around our newest solar farm.

📅 Saturday, 5 September
📍 55 Pukeatua Road, Maungatapere
⏰ Planting starts at 10am
🌭 Complimentary sausage sizzle from 11am to 12 noon
🪏 Please bring a spade and gloves

After lending a hand, stay for a complimentary BBQ as a thank you for helping restore native planting around Northland's newest solar farm.

Whether you're a keen gardener or simply want to support a local project, we'd love to see you there. Spaces are limited, so register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=MXdYireU8EKAw5VfVUUvZYrcKV-Cc2VGgcP0vrUDbBxUN0xSOUg4Nk1XMUVLRFJSUDhDWUJKQUExUC4u

Together, we can help create a lasting environmental legacy at Puna Komaru for future generations. 💚🌿

23/08/2026

Northpower is proud to be supporting Northland's renewable energy future through our work on Mercury's Kaiwaikawe Wind Farm near Dargaville 🌬️

We're delivering the critical infrastructure needed to connect the wind farm to the national grid, upgrading the Dargaville substation, and making improvements across the local network to support the safe transport of New Zealand's largest wind turbine components.

One of the most unique parts of the project involves permanently upgrading around 190 power line crossings along the transport route. By raising, relocating or undergrounding power lines, we're not only enabling the delivery of turbine components but also leaving a lasting legacy of network improvements for local communities.

Alongside this work, we're carrying out network upgrades and maintenance across the region to strengthen resilience and help minimise future disruption for customers.

Learn more about how projects like Kaiwaikawe are helping connect renewable energy, strengthen local infrastructure, and support New Zealand's transition to a sustainable energy future in our Annual Report story below👇

Working with Mercury Energy, Northpower is installing transmission infrastructure and network upgrades to connect Kaiwaikawe wind farm and support renewable electrification.

20/08/2026

Join Northpower at the Community Planting Day at Puna Komaru solar farm! 🌱

You're invited to help grow a greener Northland by planting natives around our newest solar farm.

📅 Saturday, 5 September
📍 55 Pukeatua Road, Maungatapere
⏰ Planting starts at 10am
🌭 Complimentary sausage sizzle BBQ from 11am to 12 noon
🪏 Bring a spade and some gloves for the planting

After lending a hand and restoring native planting around Northland's newest solar farm, enjoy a complimentary BBQ so we can thank you for your hard work.

Whether you're a keen gardener or simply want to support a local project, we'd love to see you there. Let us know you're coming by completing this form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=MXdYireU8EKAw5VfVUUvZYrcKV-Cc2VGgcP0vrUDbBxUN0xSOUg4Nk1XMUVLRFJSUDhDWUJKQUExUC4u as there is limited space available.

Together, we can all help create a lasting environmental legacy at Puna Komaru, contributing to a thriving environment for future generations.

18/08/2026

As the way we generate and use electricity continues to change, Northpower is investing in the technology needed to support a smarter, more flexible energy future⚡

Over the past five years, we've continued to modernise our Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS), helping us better manage the growing number of solar farms, rooftop solar systems, batteries and other renewable energy technologies connecting to our network.

These upgrades improve our ability to monitor and manage power flows in real time, make better use of existing network capacity, and maintain a reliable electricity supply for our communities. We're also introducing new technology to increase capacity for renewable generation in areas of the network where space is limited.

Find out more about how we're preparing our network for a more connected, customer-driven energy future in our Annual Report story: 👇

Investing in our network operational system, Northpower improved real-time network visibility and forecasting to manage two-way power flows.

18/08/2026

On Friday, we had the privilege of welcoming Silver Fern Maddy Gordon to the Northpower Whangārei Depot, where she shared her gold medal from the 2026 Commonwealth Games with our team. 🏅

It was fantastic to hear about Maddy’s journey and celebrate such an incredible achievement. We're especially proud of her connection to Northpower through her dad, David Gordon, who has been part of the Northpower team for more than 30 years.

Thank you, Maddy, for taking the time to visit us and share this special moment. Congratulations on bringing home gold!