'Under siege': Fury as trees cleared for power pylons

Edgecumbe's Putiki Road residents say they feel "under siege" as Genesis Energy this week removes vegetation ahead of installing electricity pylons outside their properties.

The pylons will connect its 136 megawatt Tihori Solar Farm, being built on McLean Road, with Edgecumbe's Hydro Road substation via State Highway 2. 

"It's like a war zone," said resident Jo Spod. "I really feel like we are a little Gallic village that is under siege by the Romans."

Residents of the narrow country lane have engaged with Genesis over the past 18 months seeking to change its plans about placement of the 33 kV powerlines.

The pylons are to be placed on the side of the road where most of the homes are.

As well as the visual impact of large pylons, it will mean the removal of mature trees, some of which have sentimental value.

Dispensation has been granted for one phoenix palm planted by a returning serviceman, as it is treasured as a memorial of his World War II service by his daughter, Robyn Askey.

Genesis investigated a number of alternative suggestions by locals: Undergrounding the lines or placing them on the other side of the road where there are fewer trees and homes, and offers of land to facilitate shorter, off-road routes.

None have been found viable.

A Genesis spokesperson said a Bay of Plenty Regional Council flood drain across the road had ruled out the use of that side of the road.

Spod said he felt the residents suggestions had been ignored.

"They had so many options to go on the other side of the road. They could have gone on the other side of the drain [or] underground."

Genesis chief operating officer Tracey Hickman said undergrounding the lines would have caused significant disruption to the residents.

"It would have required extensive open-trench excavation within a very narrow road corridor. In practical terms, this would have required occupation of the full width of the road during construction.

"Given the length of the proposed route and the nature of underground cable construction, these impacts could have continued for several months."

Residents have drawn comparisons to Fonterra Edgecumbe's new energy generation plant, Project Kuhawaha, a much smaller project, which has used underground cables to connect to the grid.

Hickman said the projects were not directly comparable.

"The underground sections were generally significantly shorter and were constructed within different road environments, including wider roads and locations with different access, traffic and land-use requirements."

Off-road alignments, even with the offer of land for this purpose, created additional access, environmental, consenting and programme constraints.

"Some alignments would have shifted the same visual and vegetation effects onto different properties without net benefit," Hickman said.

Genesis had assessed a broad range of route options during the design phase before landing on the current alignment.

"We took the time to work through the alternatives seriously, because we understood the impact this line has on the people who live along Putiki Road."

Concept designs, easement valuations, environmental and access assessments, and engagement with landownershad been extensive, she said.

"Each alternative came with its own combination of technical, environmental, consenting, access, and programme constraints ... The road-reserve alignment was the option that could actually be delivered."

Whakatāne District Council had offered support to residents, writing to Genesis last year, asking it to do everything in its power to accommodate the concerns of Putiki Road residents.

Whakatāne Mayor Nandor Tanczos said the solar farm project was something the council supported, but wanted to make sure was done in a way that had the least impact on local residents.

When the solar farm is commissioned, it will produce around 230 GWh of renewable electricity a year, enough to power approximately 30,000 New Zealand homes.

"This is a fairly major piece of energy infrastructure, so we all want it to go ahead. We need energy security in this country and we need to increase the renewable energy supply.

"I think Genesis has tried hard to listen to local residents and work around their concerns."

He and council staff had met with Genesis to express their concerns and Genesis had met with residents on location.

"From what I understand they have worked quite hard to accommodate those concerns, but they do have some quite stringent legislative requirements of their own they must comply with."

Genesis is required to ensure that vegetation does not create an unacceptable risk to the electrical network or people.

Tanczos said under national legislation and policy, road reserve was for energy infrastructure as well as roading.

"Where you've got residents who have encroached onto the road reserve, Genesis Energy is paying for fences to be relocated. I think they've tried to have as minimal impact on vegetation as they reasonably could."