Powerco is upgrading the electricity infrastructure in Hairini to support growing demand which includes a new Kāinga Ora development.

The project includes new underground cables and switching units, with some overhead lines removed to improve safety, resilience and power reliability.

It will take place along Haukore St, through the Welcome Bay roundabout and into parts of Ohauiti Rd and Welcome Bay Rd – an area experiencing increased electricity demand, including a new Kāinga Ora housing development.

Powerco’s electricity general manager Karen Frew said the upgrade is a significant investment in Tauranga’s growing communities.

“Tauranga continues to grow at pace and it’s important we have the infrastructure to support it.

“This work will strengthen the network so we can continue to deliver reliable electricity supply and restore power more quickly when outages do occur.”

A map showing the work area for the Hairini electricity network upgrade. Image / Powerco

The project involves installing new underground cables and four new switching units, as well as removing some existing overhead power lines.

Undergrounding the network will also reduce safety risks, including vehicles hitting power poles and improve overall network resilience during storm events, Powerco said.

Powerco contractor, Northpower, will carry out the work, which will involve directional drilling, trenching and traffic management along key routes. Some work will take place at night to minimise disruption.

While most work can be completed without interrupting power supply, some planned outages may be required to ensure crews can work safely. Affected customers will be notified in advance by their electricity retailer.

Closer to the time, customers can also check for planned outages for their address on Powerco’s planned outages webpage.

Work is expected to be completed by September 2026.