Kawerau’s Hutec Engineering will play a major role in the upgrade of Meridian Energy’s Waitaki Power Station.

Meridian is undertaking a 10-year upgrade of the 92-year-old Waitaki Power Station, with the wider project scheduled for completion by 2036.

The programme will replace all seven turbines and generators, supporting balance-of-plant systems, and the station’s 21 headgates and associated equipment.

The upgrade will increase the station’s available generation capacity from 105MW to 120MW, while improving seismic resilience, operational reliability and long-term performance.

Gentec Solutions has been awarded the contract for the headgates and associated works, representing approximately $106 million of the overall project investment.

Established through a strategic partnership between New Zealand engineering companies Hutec Engineering and Re-Generate, Gentec Solutions brings together specialist hydro engineering and design with heavy mechanical manufacturing, fabrication and project delivery capability.

Under the Gentec delivery model, Re-Generate will lead the engineering and design component of the headgate works, while Hutec will undertake the fabrication, manufacturing and project delivery, providing an integrated New Zealand-based solution from design through to site delivery.

The Gentec scope includes the removal of the existing headgates followed by the design, manufacture, and installation of 21 new headgates and associated operating equipment, with work expected to take place over approximately four-and-a-half years. The total project timeframe is expected to take over eight years by the time the new turbines and generators are installed.

A significant component of the fabrication and manufacturing will be undertaken by Hutec at its Kawerau-based engineering and manufacturing facilities, supporting skilled engineering employment and retaining a substantial portion of the project spend and capability within New Zealand.

Gentec Solutions director and Hutec chief executive David Quinn, pictured above, said securing the project was significant not only for Gentec and its partner companies, but for New Zealand’s wider engineering and manufacturing sector.

“This is a significant project for New Zealand’s energy infrastructure, and we are extremely proud that Gentec has been selected to play such an important role in its delivery.

“What makes this particularly exciting is that the engineering, design, fabrication and delivery capability for this package sits here in New Zealand.

“Through Gentec, we are bringing together Re-Generate’s specialist hydro engineering and design expertise with Hutec’s manufacturing, fabrication and project delivery capability”.

“Projects of this scale provide an opportunity to build and retain highly specialised engineering capability in New Zealand, support local employment and demonstrate that New Zealand companies have the capability to deliver complex, long-term infrastructure projects.”

Waitaki Power Station has been generating electricity since 1935 and currently produces enough electricity to supply approximately 51,000 average homes.

The station forms part of Meridian’s Waitaki hydro generation scheme and has played an important role in New Zealand’s electricity system for more than 90 years.

The station will remain operational throughout the upgrade, with individual unit outages carefully planned to minimise the impact on electricity generation.

International hydro generation specialist Voith Hydro has been appointed by Meridian Energy to supply the new turbines and generators, while Gentec will deliver the headgate and associated works.

Quinn said the long-term nature of the programme would also provide opportunities to develop the next generation of New Zealand engineering capability.

“A project of this scale, delivered over several years, gives us the confidence to invest in our people, develop skills and grow our capacity. The benefits extend well beyond this contract, strengthening New Zealand’s engineering and manufacturing capability to support future investment in renewable energy and critical infrastructure.”