New Mangawhai Substation Build
Location: Mangawhai
Start date: 27 March 2023
Completion date: 31 March 2024
Key people involved: Gary Ihaka, Poovendran Govender, Ale Amosa, Ben Cutforth, Nick Hall, Nick Maumalo, Mahmoud Elkaffas.
Project partners: Northpower Networks, Cassidy Construction
Our challenge
With rapid growth in Mangawhai, one of the fastest-growing towns in the Northland region, the construction of a new substation was needed to support the increasing population.
The Mangawhai Central Substation project aimed to initially cater for 1,500 homes and businesses, with the flexibility to accommodate further expansion in the future. The site, located at Mangawhai central, underwent a blessing ceremony by local hapū Te Uri O Hau, highlighting Northpower’s commitment to acknowledging the site’s history and significance.
In addition to electricity network infrastructure, the new substation integrates critical Northpower Fibre ultra-fast broadband infrastructure. This integration enhances the resilience of the fibre network for the 1,800 homes and businesses already connected in Mangawhai, as well as provisioning for future growth. The availability of ultra-fast broadband has played a critical role in the rapid development of the area, providing opportunities for flexible work arrangements, and commuting from Auckland.
Supporting the community
The Mangawhai Central Substation will support a new subdivision at Molesworth Drive, as well as the wider community. Initially equipped with one 15MVA 33/11kV transformer, the substation is engineered for future expansion with provisions for two transformers.
The substation is fed via a 33kV tee from the Kaiwaka-Mangawhai circuit, with plans for a second 33kV circuit from Maungaturoto GXP in the future. Enhanced protection schemes and circuit breaker installations contribute to the substation’s reliability.
Northpower's commitment
Cassidy Construction was contracted to execute the civil construction phase of the project, which began in March 2023. Despite facing challenges such as torrential rain and flooding, the project team, in collaboration with Northpower’s engineering team, successfully mitigated these issues to ensure works were completed on time. Civil works were finalised, and the building was then handed over to our capital zone substation team for the electrical installation stage. The installation of 33kV and 11kV switchboards commenced, alongside transformer installation, with support from our Whangārei electrical services team for remote end works.
The Mangawhai Central Substation project highlights Northpower’s commitment to delivering essential infrastructure to support community growth and development. By providing reliable electricity and ultra-fast broadband connectivity, the project enhances the quality of life for residents and also facilitates the growth of economic activities in the area.
As Mangawhai continues to expand, the substation is ready to meet the increasing demands of a growing population and ensure the resilience and reliability of essential services for years to come.
