Powerco Transmission Services (PTS) this week commissioned the new transmission line which connects the Te Rere Hau wind farm in Manawatu back to the national grid.

PTS manager Kevin Sharp said the commissioning of the new underground transmission line was a major milestone for the development for the Te Rere Hau joint venture which is made up of New Zealand Windfarms Limited, National Power and Babcock & Brown.

"Bringing the new transmission assets on line has removed a constraint that had previously prevented the Te Rere Hau Wind Farm from exporting all the electricity it generated back to the national grid."

Mr Sharp said PTS and TRH Joint Venture had formed an alliance to develop the electricity reticulation and transmission assets at Te Rere Hau and while the commissioning of the new transmission cable and reticulation assets was a major milestone there was still a lot of work to be done over the coming months as new wind turbines were added to the site.

"Under the alliance agreement PTS has managed the easement process, detailed design, construction, commissioning and going forward will own, operate and maintain all the electricity reticulation and transmission assets at Te Rere Hau.

"Te Rere Hau can now generate and export electricity to its maximum potential and that potential will continue to increase as TRH Joint Venture continues to add new Windflow 500 turbines to the site. PTS is working closely with the TRH Joint Venture to connect each new turbine to the electricity network as soon as possible so they can start generating and exporting clean green energy into the national grid."