News Articles
Media Release 30 May 2022
Te Pae o Waimihia Purchases Industrial Land From Contact Energy.
Te Pae o Waimihia has purchased a 45 hectare block of industrially zoned land located in Taupō, from Contact Energy this month. Te Pae o Waimihia is a Forest Hapū Cluster Trust representing six Ngāti Tūwharetoa hapū - Ngāti Rauhoto, Ngāti Te Urunga, Ngāti Hineure, Ngāti Hinerau, Ngāti Tutetawha, and Ngāti Tutemohuta. The deal represents a partnership between Te Pae o Waimihia and Contact Energy to develop an Industrial Estate that will promote the use of Clean Energy and support businesses that seek to support positive environmental and commercial outcomes.
“It’s the start of a very exciting journey for us at Te Pae o Waimihia. ‘He Ahi’ is the name of the project and it represents ‘fire’ – reflecting the source of our local geothermal energy advantage within the rohe and also the represents the fire that burns within ourselves to create opportunities for our people and our community.” said Chairman, Ngahere Wall. “As well as rental income, the project will give the Trust and hapū preferential investment and employment opportunities with tenants, and a potential hub for our own projects.”
For Contact Energy, the project reinforces their commitment for operations to benefit Tauhara hapū. It aligns with Contact’s strategy to grow demand through the supply of geothermal energy and electricity, and contributes to the vision of a better New Zealand by supporting businesses in the renewable energy sector. “This is a great initiative to make the benefits of geothermal development more widely accessible and we are very excited to be working closely with local hapū to establish this project.” said Mike Dunstall, GM Geothermal Resources and Development.
Te Pae o Waimihia will develop industrial and business land lots for companies who are seeking a serviced site and leased facility, specifically designed and built for their business purposes. Contact Energy will provide geothermal energy to businesses that require geothermal heat with exclusive rights to sell geothermal energy to tenants, as well as a right of first refusal on any
electricity supplies. The sites will also promote other forms of clean energy and best practices for energy efficiency, waste management and low environmental impacts.
Greg Stebbing who chairs the Investment Committee of Te Pae o Waimihia says that “the development represents the increasingly close relationship between Contact Energy and the Taupō Township hapū.”
Design and development work for the site has already commenced with the appointment of a Project Director, and consultants Egmont Dickson will take up the Project Management role.
Project Director, Blandina Diamond, says “The development is an exciting part of Te Pae o Waimihia’s commercial and financial diversification, but also has strong demands focused on recognition of cultural expression and kaitikai of the environment.”
