Introduction to GeoFuture
We are proposing to:
Close Wairākei A&B Power Stations no later than 31 June 2031.
Improving Stop all discharges of separated efficiency geothermal water into the Waikato River and associated streams no later than 31 June 2026.
Gain consent to build a larger development at Te Mihi with an option for a small development Reduced at Wairākei. environmental footprint Invest significantly in the local Taupō and regional economy with the proposed new development at Te Mihi estimated to cost up to $800m with 65% being spent in the region. Adding renewable Increase generation of renewable generation and reliable baseload electricity (from about 320 MW to up to 400 MW – enough for 70,000 more homes).
We are not seeking a material increase in our geothermal fluid take. Local income
1 Contact’s geothermal activities
Contact has four power stations • Together they already generate enough power in the Wairākei geothermal field: for 380,000 homes. → Wairākei A+B 125MW – 1958 • The boundary of the Wairākei-Tauhara Geothermal System in the Waikato Regional Plan → Wairākei Binary 15MW – 2005 is shown here in blue. → Poihipi 50MW – 1997 • The red line is our proposed new consent area → Te Mihi 166MW – 2014 for the GeoFuture project. • The purple line shows the Tauhara Consent area. • The brown line is the existing Wairākei consent area.
Our Te Huka and the new Tauhara Power Station are covered by different consents and are not part of the GeoFuture project
Te Mihi
Wairākei A+B
Wairākei Binary
Poihipi 2 What is GeoFuture?
• GeoFuture is about the future of Contact's • We are seeking to consent two locations for operations on the Wairākei geothermal field. additional generation at Te Mihi (up to 180MW) – either right beside the existing station (THI A) or We want to renew resource consents and • in a new area (THI B) below. modernise the way Contact generates power here for the next 35 years. • The unit at THI B could be a large binary power station which would look like a larger version of Current consents run out in 2026 but we have • the current Wairākei Binary. started the reconsenting process now, working with our key stakeholders well in advance. • These changes would provide more renewable electricity (up from about 320MW to about GeoFuture will allow us to stop all discharges of • 400MW – enough for 70,000 more homes) from a geothermal and cooling water from Contact's small increase in geothermal take, with a reduced power stations to the Waikato River & streams. environmental impact.
Te Mihi
THI A THI B
• The old Wairākei A+B Stations will close no later than June 2031 and we will seek an option to build a smaller (about 40 MW) station beside it.
Wairākei A+B
Wairākei Binary plant Wrk C
Wairākei A+B stations
Wrk D 3 Outcomes from GeoFuture
• Ensuring the Wairākei-Tauhara Geothermal • Helping our local business partners like the System is used efficiently and sustained for Huka Prawn Park and Wairakei Terraces to future generations. continue using geothermal heat. • Reducing our environmental footprint by • Creating local economic benefits from new power stopping the discharge of geothermal water station construction and ongoing employment. into the Waikato River. • Helping lower carbon emissions for New Zealand • Finding ways to minimise effects of power by making our operations more efficient, generation like noise, odour and impacts of increasing the amount of renewable energy subsidence. generated, and using it to displace fossil fuels. • Taking our time to listen and work with our neighbours, local community and tangata whenua to address any concerns.
2008–20 Contact generation mix 83% of Contact’s electricity is already renewable. Our goal is to achieve 95% by 2024, and ultimately be 100% renewable.
Peakers commissioned Te Mihi commissioned Expected Tauhara commissioning Te Huka commissioned Otahuhu B closed Projected outlook
+2.9 TWh
Thermals Renewables 55% 62% 61% 61% 55% 61% 71% 76% 82% 79% 80% 84% 84% 95%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2024
Contact geothermal generation profile Estimated $1.3b investment in new geothermal development.
GWh
5,000
GeoFuture 4,000
FY18–20 average ~3,300 GWh
3,000 Tauhara power station
2,000 Te Huka power station
1,000 *Wairākei field
Ohaaki field 0 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 FY27 FY28
* Wairākei Field = Wairākei A+B, Wairākei Binary Plant, Poihipi Road and Stage 1 Te Mihi power stations 4 How Contact protects and manages this precious taonga
• The Wairākei-Tauhara Geothermal System is • Effects are managed under a System Management identified by Waikato Regional Council as a Plan which is constantly monitored and reported 'Development Geothermal System' able to be used on to Council and an expert Peer Review Panel, for sustainable and consented power generation. including iwi. • It’s an important part of New Zealand’s renewable • The System Management Plan requires ‘adaptive power generation mix, currently generating management’ to conserve geothermal water and approximately 8% of New Zealand’s electricity. energy, while allowing for controlled depletion. • Contact and the Council are focused on ensuring • Also requires Contact to avoid, remedy and mitigate the Wairākei-Tauhara Geothermal System is used primarily the impacts of subsidence but also efficiently and can meet the needs of future changes to geothermal features and vegetation. generations. • Contact has an obligation to fix any damage • For GeoFuture, Contact is seeking only a to buildings occurring from subsidence. very small increase in geothermal take (from We are required to monitor effects on geothermal 245,000 tonnes per day to 250,000) which we • areas, rare vegetation, and to fund and support will need to demonstrate is sustainable and efforts to protect and enhance these areas right appropriate. across the Taupō Volcanic Zone.
Mayor Island (Tūhua)
Te Maire (Naike) Ohinewai Lake Waikare
Te Aroha
Waikorea Waitoa Whakaari (White Island) Manawaru
Waingaro Horotiu Sheehan Springs Waiteariki Calypso Hamilton Walton Okauia Tauranga- Hydrothermal Mt Manganui Pāpāmoa-Maketu Vent Field (Mauao) Taihoa
Pikowai Okoroire Matata Moutohora (Whale Island)
Taheke Lake Rotomā- Rotoiti Tikorangi Kawhia (Te Puia) Tikitere-Ruahine Awakeri Rotokawa- Mokoia island Kawerau Rotomā- Rotorua Lakes Puhipuhi Ōkataina- Pukehīnau (Rangitāiki) Tarawera Horohoro Waimangu-Rotomahana-Tarawera
Mangakino Waikite-Waiotapu Atiamuri Te Kopia Manaōhau (Galatea) Whakamaru Hot Beach Reporoa Orakei- korako Mokai Whangairorohea Taupō Ngatamariki Ohaaki Volcanic Rotokawa Zone Wairākei-Tauhara Horomatangi
Motuoapa Waitetoko
Tokaanu-Waihi-Hipaua Development Conditional/Limited development Tongariro Protected Research Other thermal area Ruapehu
0 25km 50km
Map source GNS Science 4A Effects of Geothermal generation
Geothermal production can impact the reservoir and its surface features.
• Wairākei-Tauhara is classified as a “development • Contact has obligations under our consents to geothermal field” under the Waikato Regional measure, manage and understand the changes Plan, that can be used for energy extraction. our operations have on the geothermal field. • There will be changes in the reservoir which • We use adaptive management over the way we can result in visible changes on the surface. draw and reinject geothermal fluids to respond to these changes. • Sustainable reservoir management is a balance of utilising the resource responsibly with managing • Ultimately some material changes have the environmental and surface impacts. developed over long periods of time. • Impacts include: • Contact is required by the consents to fund protection, restoration and offsetting on its → Subsidence. own lands and other geothermal areas right → Changes to geothermal features (such as across the Taupō Volcanic Zone (via the Wairākei Otumuheke stream and Waipahihi spring). Environmental Mitigation Charitable Trust). → Seismicity. 5 Local business partnerships
We provide heat and • Huka Prawn Park • Wairakei Terraces geothermal water to • Wairākei Resort local businesses and • MB Century would like to continue We are assessing if the environmental effect on the river and local streams are acceptable these partnerships. and will be listening to the views of the community and tangata whenua about this.
Wairakei Terraces
Wairakei Terraces Huka Prawn Park 6 Noise
What is predicted near Te Mihi as a result of GeoFuture? • We are planning to shift more of our operations • Construction noise must comply with the away from Wairākei and up to Te Mihi. Te Mihi guidance in New Zealand Standard NZS 6803: is already consented for another 90MW unit but 1999 (Acoustics Construction Noise). we are looking at larger options up to 180MW. • There are also 'one off' or intermittent and • Te Mihi geothermal area has higher temperatures unavoidable noise events, such as steam venting that can be used close to where it's sourced and safety pressure releases, and Contact's rather than being transported to other areas. activities will need to comply with the Taupō District Plan. • We are looking at two main options for a new unit at Te Mihi – either on the existing power station • We are conscious of the feedback we received platform (THI A), or down the hill (THI B). from the community in the early days of Te Mihi and we always welcome working together to As part of our planning, we are assessing the • solve these issues. potential effects on residents, including noise. Contact has engaged the same overseas expert The Taupō District Plan limits noise from • • who helped us then, and it will be peer reviewed Contact’s Power Stations to no more than by Marshall Day Acoustics who are local expert 40dBA Leq and 70dBA Lmax at night at the noise consultants. boundary of any house. • Our noise modelling currently shows the noise limits will be met at all residences in the Te Mihi/ Oruanui area.
Te Mihi
THI B
THI A
Yellow – less than 35dBa Green – less than 40dBa Blue – less than 45dBa Red – less than 50dBa 7 What changes would you see at Te Mihi?
Contact is working to An example of how minor this would be is this photo taken from Poihipi Road. provide neighbours If the unit was built in the THI B area instead of and residents with Te Mihi itself, the unit would hardly be visible at all from any public vantage point. a clear idea of any visual changes.
Existing Viewpoint 8
THI-1 Viewpoint 8 8 Proposed new consent area
• We are proposing some changes to the existing • While the consent area covers some lands that consent area. Contact doesn’t own, this doesn’t give us the right to operate on or even under it without the Some parts of the current consent area have • agreement of the owner. reduced and some we would like to expand. If you were happy to have geothermal activities Changes to the existing consent boundary • • on or under your land then Contact would need reflect our learnings about the geothermal to negotiate a suitable access agreement with you. field and can enable potential future opportunities for interested landowners.
Subsurface Easement Wairākei-Tauhara Geothermal System Boundary Contact Freehold Existing Wairākei Resource Consent Boundary Surface and Subsurface Easement Proposed Wairākei Resource Consent Boundary Special Purpose Lease (LINZ) 9 Waikato River and its tributaries
• The original design of Wairākei A+B needed large • NIWA is assessing effects of geothermal volumes of geothermal water and cooling water contaminants (both natural and from Contact's to be discharged to the Waikato River and local operations) on local streams and River life – streams. e.g abundance, condition, consumption limits. • Geothermal water naturally contains heat, • Netting, dive surveys, flesh analysis looking at arsenic, mercury, silica, and hydrogen sulphide trout, eel, smelt, bullies, pest fish, freshwater (H2S), which can adversely affect aquatic life. mussels (kākahi) and kōura etc. • Contact has worked hard to reduce volumes • Preliminary results look promising: and impacts (e.g shifting generation to Te Mihi, 'injecting' more underground, building the → effects from hydrogen sulphide don’t appear bioreactor in 2012 to drastically cut H2S). detectable The time has come to stop and move off the river. → temperature sensitive species like trout • & kōura living downstream of discharges • Wairākei A+B stations will close for good by June 2031 or potentially earlier while we → Habitat, not discharges seems the key driver transition to the new Te Mihi and Wairākei units. of fish and plant distributions • Before 2026 we will stop discharging residual • Much more will become known when the geothermal water from Contact Power Stations reports come in later in June/July. (via the Wairākei Stream) leaving only the discharge of water needed to keep the cascade users operating. 10 Environmental investigations
Contact is running the following investigations to support GeoFuture • Air Quality Assessment (e.g instances of • Shallow Effects Assessment including surface geothermal odour). features and groundwater. • Archaeology. • Transportation (e.g vehicle movements during construction and operation). • Ecological Assessment (e.g rare thermotolerant vegetation). • Land Management Practices, including how we manage hazardous substances and stormwater. • Economic Impacts for New Zealand and the local economy. • Landscape and Visual Assessment (i.e what will the new stations look like?). • Geoscience and Reservoir Modelling (e.g management and sustainability • Studies on the Waikato Awa of the resource, subsidence). (outlined in separate poster). 11 Resource consent process from here
The scope of the applications to Taupō District and Waikato Regional Councils later this year is:
Application to Taupō District Council Applications to Waikato Regional for Land Use Consent for the new Council: Contact will apply for this Te Mihi options: Contact intends after the TDC application but before to apply for this around the end the end of 2021 of July We will seek resource consents for the following The process: activities, including: • The effects of each of these options need to be • Takes and discharges (mostly by way of assessed by Contact; feedback from affected reinjection) of geothermal fluid; and interested parties considered and worked Discharges to air associated with the power through. • stations and steamfield operations; When that is done the application will be • Well drilling and testing; notified and open to peoples' submissions. • Take, use and discharge of water for cooling, Then it will be considered by Taupō District • • drilling and other purposes; Council officials and a decision made. • Discharge of stormwater to ground and surface water; and • Culverts, diversions and other streambed structures and works (mostly maintenance).
Before any consents are granted, the process will include public notification, submissions and a hearing. If granted, the consents will have a comprehensive suite of conditions to control effects on the environment. 12 Have Your Say
Contact is keen to hear your feedback. • Talk to us in person at our Consultation Open Days. • Fill out the Consultation Feedback Form. • Send us an email at [email protected] • Feel free to ask us for a copy of any technical reports that have been completed (and provide any feedback). • Lodge a submission on the Te Mihi application when it is notified by Taupō District Council (expected to occur in the third quarter of 2021). Talk to us • Lodge a submission on the rest of Contact’s applications once they have been notified by Waikato Regional Council (expected to occur in the first half of 2022). email us
Give us feedback
Lodge a submission