Edgecumbe’s Putiki Rd residents say they feel “under siege” as Genesis Energy removes vegetation ahead of installing electricity pylons outside their properties.

The pylons will connect its 136 megawatt Tihori Solar Farm, being built on McLean Rd, with Edgecumbe’s Hydro Rd substation via State Highway 2.

“It’s like a war zone,” resident Jo Spod said. “I really feel like we are a little Gallic village that is under siege by the Romans.”

Residents of the narrow country lane have engaged with Genesis over the past 18 months, seeking to change its plans about the placement of the 33kV powerlines.

The pylons are to be placed on the side of the road where most of the homes are.

As well as the visual impact of large pylons, it will mean the removal of mature trees, some of which have sentimental value.

Dispensation has been granted for one phoenix palm planted by a returning serviceman, as it is treasured as a memorial of his World War II service by his daughter, Robyn Askey.

A phoenix palm planted by a returned serviceman, Laurie McLaren, in 1948 has been granted dispensation and will not be removed. Photo / LDR

Genesis investigated a number of alternative suggestions by locals: undergrounding the lines or placing them on the other side of the road where there are fewer trees and homes, and offers of land to facilitate shorter, off-road routes.

None have been found viable.

A Genesis spokesperson said a Bay of Plenty Regional Council flood drain across the road had ruled out the use of that side of the road.

Spod said he felt the residents’ suggestions had been ignored.

“They had so many options to go on the other side of the road. They could have gone on the other side of the drain [or] underground.”

Genesis chief operating officer Tracey Hickman said undergrounding the lines would have caused significant disruption to the residents.

“It would have required extensive open-trench excavation within a very narrow road corridor. In practical terms, this would have required occupation of the full width of the road during construction.

“Given the length of the proposed route and the nature of underground cable construction, these impacts could have continued for several months.”

Residents have drawn comparisons to Fonterra Edgecumbe’s new energy generation plant, Project Kuhawaha, a much smaller project, which has used underground cables to connect to the grid.

This 60-year-old oak tree on Putiki Rd, with its children's treehouse, will be cut down. Photo / Supplied

Hickman said the projects were not directly comparable.

“The underground sections were generally significantly shorter and were constructed within different road environments, including wider roads and locations with different access, traffic and land-use requirements.”

Off-road alignments, even with the offer of land for this purpose, created additional access, environmental, consenting and programme constraints.

“Some alignments would have shifted the same visual and vegetation effects on to different properties without net benefit,” Hickman said.

Genesis had assessed a broad range of route options during the design phase before landing on the current alignment.

“We took the time to work through the alternatives seriously, because we understood the impact this line has on the people who live along Putiki Rd.”

Concept designs, easement valuations, environmental and access assessments, and engagement with landowners had been extensive, she said.

“Each alternative came with its own combination of technical, environmental, consenting, access, and programme constraints ... The road-reserve alignment was the option that could actually be delivered.”

Whakatāne District Council had offered support to residents, writing to Genesis last year, asking it to do everything in its power to accommodate the concerns of Putiki Rd residents.

The McLean Rd site, where construction has begun for Tihori Solar Farm. Photo / Diane McCarthy

Whakatāne Mayor Nandor Tanczos said the solar farm project was something the council supported, but wanted to make sure it was done in a way that had the least impact on residents.

When the solar farm is commissioned, it will produce about 230GWh of renewable electricity a year, enough to power about 30,000 New Zealand homes.

“This is a fairly major piece of energy infrastructure, so we all want it to go ahead. We need energy security in this country and we need to increase the renewable energy supply.

“I think Genesis has tried hard to listen to local residents and work around their concerns.”

He and council staff had met with Genesis to express their concerns and Genesis had met with residents on location.

“From what I understand they have worked quite hard to accommodate those concerns, but they do have some quite stringent legislative requirements of their own they must comply with.”

War zone: Contractors have left timber from residents' trees on site for firewood. Photo / LDR

Genesis is required to ensure that vegetation does not create an unacceptable risk to the electrical network or people.

Tanczos said under national legislation and policy, road reserve was for energy infrastructure as well as roading.

“Where you’ve got residents who have encroached onto the road reserve, Genesis Energy is paying for fences to be relocated. I think they’ve tried to have as minimal impact on vegetation as they reasonably could.”

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.