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Chatham Islands Wind Farm

A small wind farm on the Chatham Islands (Rēkohu), was commissioned in June 2010.

The wind farm has two 225kW Vergnet machines, which have been integrated with the existing diesel generation plant on the island. The turbines are two-bladed machines designed in France. They are designed so they can be raised and lowered on guy ropes, mainly to prevent damage during storms, but also for maintenance.

The wind farm supplies electricity to the 260 residential and commercial customers on the main island in the Chathams. The cost of electricity in the Chathams is directly influenced by the cost of diesel, and can be 5 to 10 times more expensive than in the rest of New Zealand. The wind farm is expected to reduce the cost of electricity generation in the Chathams.

Location

To see the wind turbine, change the view to satellite and zoom in.