Tauhara II - Innovative Environmental Permitting for a New Geothermal Plant Adjoining the Taupo Urban Area

Abstract

In February 2010 Contact Energy Limited lodged a comprehensive resource consent application with New Zealand's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for the 250MW Tauhara II Geothermal Power Station Development east of Taupo township. It was the first development application to be processed by the EPA through a new fast track consenting process designed for projects of National Significance. This was a challenging project which involves developing New Zealand’s largest geothermal energy project on the door-step of Taupo township requiring a range of complex technical and urban interface issues to be considered, particularly associated with potential subsidence, noise, landscape, shallow geothermal and air quality effects. There are also a wide range of Maori landowning and cultural interests in the project area. A number or innovative techniques were employed in the delivery of this project including facilitation of a Technical Focus Group (TFG) involving local Councils, the Department of Conservation and Maori members to guide and assess the draft consent documentation, and the development of a Steamfield Design Protocol to govern the on-going development of the steamfield works over time. Detailed conditions were also developed to allow an adaptive management approach to avoiding or mitigating any observed development impacts on important shallow geothermal resources (hot springs, fumaroles, thermotolerant vegetation, shallow heat users etc.) A Working Party approach successfully considered and agreed an offset approach for effects associated with Maori interests. Resource consents were granted for the project in 2011 and subsequently the innovative and inclusive consenting process won major project awards from the New Zealand Planning Institute, New Zealand Resource Management Law Association and the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects.