Last updated: 04 Oct 2024
What are we doing?
Transpower plans to replace the transmission towers in and around Newlands and Woodridge in Wellington with modern steel poles, with work at some sites underway now, having started in winter 2024, and ending in summer 2025/26.
Ahead of the tower replacements, we carried out some tower strengthening work.
Why are we doing it?
The increasing amount of maintenance required due to these towers’ age and condition is the reason we are replacing them with modern steel poles. To provide further life to the existing structures before they are replaced, and to make the final replacement easier, we completed one last round of tower strengthening.
When will this happen?
Tower strengthening work – now completed
This work involves attaching steel to the existing towers to strengthen them and may also involve some small amounts of painting. The strengthening work also makes it easier and faster to remove the tower during the replacement phase.
Tower replacement work – underway now
This work involves installing a new pole next to the existing tower then removing the tower.
Indicative timeline:
- Winter 2024 – begin work to prepare the foundations.
- Spring 2024 – start installing the new poles. It may take up to 18 months to replace all the towers on the line in the area.
Further communication and feedback
We will communicate directly with households with a transmission tower on their property, local communities and other stakeholders as the project progresses and we will also provide regular updates on this page. You can also sign up to the project e-newsletter.
We welcome any questions or feedback via email to [email protected].
The map below shows the Khandallah to Takapu Road transmission line as it passes through Newlands and Woodridge, where towers will be replaced with poles.
Historic aerial map of the suburbs around this transmission line - click to view.
1954 aerial image sourced from http://retrolens.nz and licensed by LINZ CC-BY 3.0