- Referred
- Applied
- Comments
- Panel considering
- Decision
Project summary
The project involves:
a wind farm with up to 65 turbines up to 250m high, with associated foundations, crane pads, and net masts
a solar farm comprising approximately 510,000 panels over approximately 350 ha, supported by power conversion units, underground cabling, and internal access tracks
a battery energy storage system for storage and supply of electricity to support grid stability
supporting infrastructure, including: a 37.5 km internal road network, substations, a 200 kV transmission line connecting to the national grid, operating and maintenance facilities, and security systems.
Project location
The project is located across the boundary of two regions, Taranaki and Manawatu-Whanganui (with the majority in Taranaki), near the township of Waitotara. The project comprises two main areas separated by the Waitotara River.
Project referral
The Minister for Infrastructure referred the project to the Fast-track on 15 June 2026. The application was lodged on 31 March 2026.
Notice of decisions on application for referral of the Waiinu Energy project (PDF, 247 KB)