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.

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.

Let’s Grow Together A design guide for kiwifruit orchardsNational grid support structures

Single pole Pi-pole

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Tower

Which type of structure used to support the transmission of electricity throughout Aotearoa New Zealand is on your orchard? These three most common types of support structure carry the conductors — or wires — that transmit different voltages of electricity.

These three most common types of support structures carry the conductors — or wires that transmit different voltages of electricity. Safe orchard design varies depending on which type of National Grid support structures you have on site, and the voltage of the line which can vary from 66 kilovolts to 220 kilovolts. What all the support structures have in common, however, is the need to allow good access for our inspections, maintenance and emergency 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