YOUR INDUSTRY
Let’s Grow Together A guide to help plan orchards around Transpower transmission lines By Rachel McClung, Environmental Policy Advisor, HortNZ and Rebecca Eng, Senior Environmental Planner, Transpower New Zealand Ltd. With the expansion of kiwifruit orchards in the Bay of Plenty near Transpower transmission lines, it became apparent that the rules and regulations for developing orchards near these lines were not always easy to understand. Therefore, a guidance document ‘Let’s Grow Together’ has been developed by Transpower New Zealand with New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI) and Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) to assist in orchard design. Transpower is the owner and operator of the National Grid – the high voltage transmission network made up of more than 12,000km of lines and 160 substations connecting areas of electricity generation with towns and cities across New Zealand. The majority of transmission lines are on private land, or else cross over private land. Transpower is committed to working openly.
Let’s Grow er Togeutidhe for ng A desig orchards it ru if iw k
National grid suppo structures rt i
Tower
The guide explains how orchards can safely develop around Transpower lines, while still making the most of the productive potential of the land The guide explains how orchards can safely develop around Transpower lines, while still making the most of the productive potential of the land. It contains explanations and diagrams to help growers to understand electrical safe distances. It also includes orchard design concepts and helps growers consider design matters such as access, vertical clearance distances, layout and clear space around support structures. Considering these critical safety measures when planning your orchard design keeps your orchard safe. While the guide has been developed for kiwifruit orchards, the guide can be used by any grower wanting to build crop structures around Transpower lines and the concepts are relevant for any orchard.
Pi-pole
Single pole
Which typ e used to sup of structure transmiss port the ion of electr throughou icity t New Zeala Aotearoa nd is on you orchard? r These three mos structure carry t common types of support that transmit the conductors — or wires — different volta ges of elect ricity.
These three most common structures carry the cond types of support ucto that transmit different volta rs — or wires ges of elect Safe orchard ricity. design varie on which type s dependin g structures you of National Grid supp ort have on site, of the line whic and the volta ge h can vary to 220 kilov from 66 kilov olts. olts What all the supp common, howe ort structures have in ver, is the need access for to allow good our and emergen inspections, maintena nce cy response .
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Let’s Grow Together is available in hard copy from Transpower, NZKGI or HortNZ. It can also be found online at https://www.transpower.co.nz/resources/ design-guide-kiwifruit-orchards If you are planning a new orchard, we recommend that you contact your Transpower Landowner Liaison Officer first. They can help you to create an orchard design that is safe for you, your workers and the public. P: 0507 LANDOWNER (0508 526 369 637) E: landowner@transpower.co.nz
The ORCHARDIST : JULY 2021 29
