Turitea Wind Farm CLG Summary February 2020

Turitea wind farm

Community Liaison Group

Summary of meeting 12 February 2020

MARGARET welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced some of the people who might be speaking during the evening.

From Mercury: Dennis Radich and Stephanie Kirk (Stephanie will speak about environmental management) From Electrix: Kevin Small From Vestas: Duncan Wallbank Apologies had been received from Mark Henry (Mercury).

AGENDA 1. Introductions; health and safety 2. Project update • Mercury overview (Dennis) • Wind Farm (Duncan W) • Transmission (Kevin) 3. Environmental management (Steph) 4. Dates for next meetings

2 WHAT WE’LL DISCUSS TONIGHT

MARGARET told the meeting what would be discussed: • an update on progress with the project • the Contractors will give an update on the work taking place right now and in the short to medium term • the environmental management on site, and how the Councils keep an eye on this • The dates for the next couple of meetings

UPDATE - MERCURY Roading • the new entrance to the site • old South Range Road entrance now blocked off, and the new entrance is controlled entry to a building site as you would expect Design and manufacture underway, and deliveries to New Zealand ports Significant earth works on site Ongoing thorough environmental management on site

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MERCURY OVERVIEW

DENNIS gave an high level update to the meeting. This is the seventh meeting of this group since May last year and the Mercury team is enjoying getting to know the community better. Together with our contractors we are working with over 40 local businesses, so we are also connecting with the Manawatū community that way, and we anticipate this growing over time.

The most visible sign of progress is the new entrance to the site. The works Mercury was responsible for on the Pahiatua Track are now complete. The old entrance to South Range Road, on a potentially dangerous curve in the road, was now blocked off, and the new entrance is currently acting as a controlled entry to the construction site. This was a condition of our Consent before we proceeded with further works, and has now been signed off by Council.

We noted last meeting that Fraser Whineray is leaving Mercury next month to take up a new senior role at Fonterra. The new Mercury Chief Executive appointee is Vince Hawksworth who has huge and valuable experience of developing wind through his previous role as CE of Trustpower. Trustpower developed and used to own several wind farms including the Tararua wind farm so Vince is also a “huge fan” of wind. His appointment ensures continuity and a deep skillset in this area, adding to the knowledge base that will carry this project and subsequent wind projects forward.

WIND FARM UPDATE - VESTAS

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HUB AND NACELLE ARRIVE IN PORT TO BE LOADED ON TO SHIP

Duncan Wallbank (Vestas) spoke to slides illustrating some of the progress in the shipment of components, and the earthworks on site.

These pictures show a hub and nacelle (casing) being loaded on to a ship in China. They have since arrived at Napier Port.

WIND FARM UPDATE - VESTAS

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NACELLE, DRIVE TRAIN, HUB AND TOWER SECTION LOADED FOR TRANSPORT TO NEW ZEALAND

These slides show some of the parts in the hold of the vessel. A single gearbox weighs 65 tonnes, and will be mounted in the finished turbine in the nacelle, that also weighs that amount. The significant combined weight of the components means that these parts are transported separately.

WIND FARM UPDATE - VESTAS

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LAYOUT OF COMPONENTS ON SHIP

The weight of the components being shipped means that they are carefully stowed to ensure both fit and balance on the ship.

The ship pictured is berthed at Napier currently with all the parts to construct 16 turbines (apart from the blades). After offloading they will be stored in Onekawa (near Napier) before being transported to the wind farm.

WIND FARM UPDATE - VESTAS

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BLADES IN THE PORT OF TARANAKI

A shipment of 99 blades (sufficient for the 33 turbines in the northern end of the wind farm) landed at Port of Taranaki earlier this month. The blades are now in storage, while the route up the Pahiatua Track in to the wind farm is confirmed.

WIND FARM UPDATE - VESTAS

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MAIN ENTRANCE TO TURITEA WIND FARM

The left picture is taken from the northern side of the Pahiatua Track looking south at the entry to the wind farm site (that will become the new entry to South Range Road). Since the photograph, road markings have been applied. The gate is staffed to control access during construction to ensure the safety of everyone on site.

The right picture shows the road curving around once the site is accessed.

WIND FARM UPDATE - VESTAS

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SEDIMENT AND EROSION CONTROLS

Duncan said that Stephanie would speak further to sediment and erosion controls.

WIND FARM UPDATE - VESTAS

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SEDIMENT AND EROSION CONTROLS

WIND FARM UPDATE - VESTAS

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BULK / PIONEERING EARTHWORKS

These pictures illustrate the scope of earthworks and machinery. They were taken during rainier weather, but Duncan noted that dust suppression is currently ongoing due to drier conditions.

WIND FARM UPDATE - VESTAS

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WTG COMPONENTS IN STORAGE (RMU – RING MAIN UNIT)

Duncan noted that the pictured component, the Ring Main Unit, would be enclosed within the tower of each turbine.

QUESTION: What route would the blades take?

Duncan said that the blades would travel through Taranaki going north east of the mountain then along SH3. They would go around the north of Palmerston North then up the Pahiatua Track. They would set off at night and arrive early each morning.

QUESTION: Would there be spare blades?

Duncan said that there were no spares as they were very expensive. They would be treated with great care.

QUESTION: Would the blades travel through Whanganui?

Nigel Fluit (Mercury Site Manager) said that he has driven the route, and similar blades have travelled that way before. He had seen only one potential pinchpoint on the route, near Inglewood, that should be readily resolved.

QUESTION: Would the blades be stored onsite?

Duncan said that the blades were in sets of three (for each turbine) and would ideally be moved onsite as they were able to be installed. Not every turbine site was able to have a laydown area near it, so some storage would need to be provided on site.

Mercury Turitea Wind Farm Transmission Line Build Feb 2020

Kevin Small (Electrix) gave an update on progress with the transmission infrastructure build.

What have we been doing?

1. Manufacture Everything has been ordered.

Most things have arrived.

Open container, MAF inspection, unpack, load up, ship out. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat……

This photograph shows parts of one of the transmission poles arriving. The steel parts were all then to be transported to site, and nearly half had so far been delivered.

Pole 5, Ikea style

This image shows components for building Pole 5, waiting for assembly at a property near the centre of the transmission line.

What have we been doing?

2. Greens Road It’s been a long haul but we are nearly there, thanks to everyone for your ongoing patience and good will!

Progress has been good considering the weather but very stop/start to keep the road open.

Sealing the lower section this week ‐ fingers crossed!

Sign off by end of February.

Steel yard on a local farm.

Not for too much longer!

Kevin expressed thanks to local residents for their good will during the disruption caused by the upgrade to Greens Road.

Greens Road super highway

This image shows Greens Road before the seal and road markings are applied.

Greens Rd Civil steel yard

This image shows the steel foundation bolt cages that will go under the poles. Some pre‐assembly away from the site is possible.

What have we been doing?

3. Tracks and foundations Foundations are being dug, track work continues.

Starting a track

Kevin explained that this track was being constructed on an old, overgrown track on private land near poles 9 and 10 south of Greens Road. Machinery was used to cut the track, Geotech fabric was applied to stabilize the materials being put down, and drains were built.

This site was one that had been considered for transporting the components by helicopter, but the noise levels were too high for the Council to allow.

QUESTION: How many km of track was being constructed through native vegetation?

Kevin said that there were 16 towers in native vegetation. Of these eight were accessed by short tracks (50‐100m each) and eight were being helicoptered in. Helicoptering involved crews walking in to site and clearing bush so that there was a clearing where a base could be made to fly components in to erect the towers. Mercury and Wildlands ecologists were involved to minimize impact, and a Revegetation Plan had been approved by Council.

Dennis said that any native vegetation cleared through construction activity was pre‐authorized by Council, and must be either revegetated or subject to offset planting. Offset planting was planned for a 10ha block near Browns Flat. Over time, there would be more native vegetation at the site than was removed.

QUESTION: Would there be visuals available of transmission infrastructure.

Dennis said that the visuals that had been created were a simulation of a much bigger wind farm. At this stage we were able to provide a picture of the poles standing elsewhere, and in around 12 weeks the new poles would be standing in the wind farm to be seen in real life. [see next slide for pictures of poles and towers]

Examples of poles and towers to be installed at the Turitea Wind Farm

The consents dictate that monopoles (left hand image) will be used between Linton substation and Browns Flat, and lattice towers (right hand image) through the Reserve from Browns Flat to the northern section of the wind farm.

Finished product

This image shows a farm track constructed to enable access to the new transmission infrastructure. It will be built to a high standard as it must carry heavy equipment. The sediment controls (black fences) will remain in place throughout the job and until vegetation has grown meaning that they are no longer required.

Pole 6 foundation

This image shows Pole 6 foundation nearly complete. The black ‘chimney’ is a steel liner that goes into the hole with the reinforcing cage inside it. The 45 tonne machine in shot vibrates the liner into the ground.

QUESTION: what was the timeframe for trucks using Kahuterewa and Greens Roads?

Kevin said that most truck work would be complete by April. Currently containers were being delivered with parts, then metal would be transported for constructing tracks, then concrete would be brought for foundations. After April there will be much less traffic, mostly construction traffic and crews, and steel for construction would be shuttled up from Greens Road. Our Consents stipulate when trucks are allowed to use the road, and there is a protected hour through the morning school run when they may not use the road.

There are other trucks using this road that may not have that restriction.

Next few months Focus moves to the Reserve: vegetation / Geotech /foundations Pre‐assembly yard at Greens Road Pour concrete on foundations Start standing structures in April

QUESTION: how is the protection of the Reserve guaranteed?

Dennis said that our resource consent has given us the requirements needed to preserve the Reserve, such as weed control, erosion control, controls around sediment run‐off and dust. Documentation around this was available on our website.

Margaret said that there was huge responsibility with the Council to uphold the Consent. They were very stringent with monitoring and policing to ensure that the requirements are met.

QUESTION: the Board of Inquiry, not the Council, granted the Consent Dennis said that the Council has both commercial and regulatory interest and commitment to uphold the consents. For example, there is a list of requirements before anyone enters the Reserve including that everyone must sign a health declaration committing to keeping it safe and clean. It is also important to note that the commercial interest sits with PNCC as a landowner (for which it receives royalty income) but monitoring and enforcement of the environmental controls and protections under the consents generally sits with Horizons Regional Council.

Steph confirmed that to prevent the spread of weeds, all machinery needs to be cleaned offsite, and all aggregate and top soil entering site was monitored. All weed species were noted so as not to spread them further, and weed control bins were located on site. There is a suite of measures so that any current weed problem in the area isn’t made worse by site activity.

QUESTION: accepting that mitigating approaches are being used, are we relying on trust? How is behaviour being monitored?

Kevin said that Electrix had employed an independent consultant to monitor. They worked with Mercury and Horizons Council to inspect all open sites, to ensure all controls are in place. Sub contractors were monitored.

John said that all vehicles were controlled in and out of the site, and monitored by Mercury and Downer (roading contractor), all with overlapping levels of responsibility.

QUESTION: it was suggested that people raising concerns are being marginalised.

Dennis said that Mercury was trying to respond to concerns with facts and evidence, and is working willingly and hard to comply with a very strict set of consents.

Home without Harm, Everyone, Everyday.

Margaret said that as there were no Council representatives at the meeting, she recommended speaking to Council directly if people had concerns about the Reserve, to make sure that the construction was following the rule book.

Tony Nagel said that the Council’s Environmental Sustainability Committee meets quarterly, and this might be a suitable forum to raise any concerns of an environmental nature. Tony said that he and Dennis had presented a paper to that committee that morning.

QUESTION: Now that the Te Araraoa Walkway had been diverted through private land, what are the long term plans for this?

Kevin acknowledged that the solution with the private landowner had been suggested by this meeting. He said there was ongoing discussion with Council as to the future of this part of the Walkway.

QUESTION: when would the remainder of Greens Road be sealed?

Kevin said that this part of the road would be formed in around two weeks, and it begin to be sealed after that.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – CONTROL INSTALLATION / PROGRESS o Installation of environmental controls is progressing well. o Environmental controls must be installed and signed off prior to earthworks commencing in an area. o Bunding and sediment retention ponds installed down to WTG01. o New spoil disposal site set up and sediment retention pond constructed. o Stabilisation of access tracks progressing. o Lots of hydroseeding going on.

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT UPDATE

Stephanie Kirk (Mercury) spoke to what is being done ‘on the ground’ to ensure that the environmental controls in the Construction Environmental Management Plan and Site Environmental Management Plans.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

Stabilised access track and hydroseeded batters to prevent erosion

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Super silt fences installed around access track construction to control any sediment runoff

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

The left image shows the batters turned green with hydro‐seed (seed mix and fertiliser in a bio‐degradable dye to allow more even application). This planting will stabilise the bank with grass. Re‐seeding was required in areas of the site with varying soil quality, and work was being undertaken with seed suppliers to tweak the seeds supplied to each side of the hill, for example, with good results.

QUESTION: what are the seeds and are they different across the site Steph said that there was a lot of science behind seed selection and specific seeds were trialled on different areas of the site.

The right image shows black super silt fences on each side of a track during construction. The sediment fences were monitored so that no more than 50% of sediment capacity was captured before this was removed, meaning there was always capacity. Once the track was covered with rock, with the edges hydro‐seeded, the measures against silt would no longer be required.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

New Sediment Retention Pond under construction at spoil disposal site

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Pond outlet installed and pond now operational

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

These image show the largest sediment retention pond onsite, able to accommodate run‐off from a catchment of 6ha.

Smaller ponds, called decanting earth bunds, were used in other parts of the site with smaller catchments.

There was a specific science around the decanting rate of the ponds to ensure maximum retention of sediment.

The ponds would be removed after the project, once Horizons Council ascertains that sufficient vegetation has regrown that sediment will no longer be present.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

Freshly hydroseeded batters at South Range Road

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Grass starting to grow and stabilise batters after one week

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

These images show a well stabilised catchment in a newly cut road, with hydroseeding taking off.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – COUNCIL INSPECTION SCHEDULE o Council Inspection Schedule.  Very comprehensive consents.  Council involved during the management plan drafting process.  Each construction zone (1-5) has a "Site Environmental Management Plan" which details exactly what environmental controls need to be installed and precautions need to be taken.

These are reviewed and signed off by council.  Comprehensive monitoring regime during construction works.  Horizons Regional Council staff are heavily involved and on the ground on a weekly basis monitoring our environmental controls' compliance. They will be visiting weekly until construction is complete and beyond.  Independent erosion and sediment control inspector for Southern Skies auditing site throughout the year.

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ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS

Horizons represented all three Councils in respect of environmental controls on the project, and they were involved every step of the way with very thorough inspections. Specialists were also engaged by the Councils to review and monitor.

The Horizons team inspected the site each week, taking a full day to cover all aspects. Steph attended each week and reviewed the contractors’ performance.

The project had independent erosion and sediment controls reviews each month. A team of experts were involved, including many of the country’s top experts in the field.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – COUNCIL INSPECTION SCHEDULE

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ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS

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Inspection reports are received following the onsite inspections by Horizons.

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Any items identified to be remedied by council are done so promptly.

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Results of these inspections are communicated widely amongst the Project team and are taken very seriously.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – CONTRACTOR SITE MONITORING o Very robust site monitoring programs in place. o Contractor Monitoring Schedule:  Daily environmental control checks  Weekly environmental control checks  Pre-heavy rainfall event environmental control monitoring to identify any areas of high risk  Post-heavy rainfall event environmental control monitoring  Water sampling following a rainfall trigger event o All of this rainfall monitoring data feeds back into the Aquatic Ecology Monitoring and Response Plan (AEMRP) quarterly report that goes through to council. o Incident response procedures in case of environmental issues on site, including reporting through to council.

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CONTRACTOR SITE MONITORING

Steph said that there were tight controls around water quality.

Monitoring of contractors on site included daily driving around all parts of the site and weekly checks of environmental controls.

If a rainfall event was forecast, event control monitoring took place to identify areas of high risk, with photographs taken to compare with post event. Post rainfall event, the site was inspected.

Data from monitoring sites in streams and ponds was continuously fed through to Councils. Failure of a device triggered a comprehensive and swift response.

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING – CONTRACTOR SITE MONITORING

Downstream water quality sample collected post rainfall event.

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Transmission line construction team undertaking water clarity measurement training

CONTRACTOR SITE MONITORING

These images show members of the Electrix team taking a water sample. There has been strong engagement from contractors around ecology measures on site.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – ECOLOGY o Wildlands Ecology Update o The ecologists come through prior to vegetation clearance to salvage any lizards. o 120 hours of lizard searches required (60 hours day, 60 hours night) and 10 checks of the Artificial Cover Objects (ACOs). o All day searches have been completed, 30 hours of night searches left and 4 ACO checks by the Wildlands ecologists. o They search for lizards during the day looking in ACOs and searching through any lizard friendly habitat.

Lizard spotlighting is also being undertaken at night to search for geckos.

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ECOLOGY

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - ECOLOGY

Any salvaged lizards would be taken back to Wellington and cared for by expert herpetologists in temporary holding pens (note this is empty and doesn't have vegetation in yet).

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The number of lizards found determines the next actions: 1. Lizard Management Area/Soft Release Pen Or...

2. Release back into the Turitea reserve

ECOLOGY

A comprehensive search was taking place for any lizards on site. Any found would be removed and cared for by experts at Wellington Zoo. The number found determines the next step with any lizards retrieved either released back in to the Reserve, or a protected area built to enclose them.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – SEED COLLECTION AND REHABILITATION PLANTING o The Project is undertaking 10ha of rehabilitation planting. o Seed collection is underway. o Seed is eco-sourced from within the reserve. o This helps to ensure that the plants will survive in the harsh reserve conditions. o These seeds are grown into seedlings and then planted at the end of construction. o Ongoing years of monitoring on plants undertaken to ensure their survival.

Looking into the Turitea reserve

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SEED COLLECTION AND REHABILITATION

The seed to be used to replant at the site was eco‐sourced from the site before Christmas, and will continue to be collected in the coming weeks. Taking seeds from existing plants means they should survive well in the conditions on site. The seeds would be raised at Totara Green Nurseries in the Manawatū.

ACTION: Steph would provide more information about eco‐sourcing seeds to the next meeting of the Community Liaison Group.

QUESTION: could further information about birdlife at the site be provided? The Bird Atlas national survey had a five year project mapping New Zealand’s birds, could any data we have be provided to them?

Dennis said that the area had been comprehensively surveyed by Wildlands ecologists, who had concluded that the area was less bio‐ diverse than they would have hoped. Their studies had shown no consistent bird flight paths through the turbine sites, and since the consent was granted to build the wind farm over a decade ago, studies had shown that birds tend to avoid wind farms or turbines.

Read the full Wildlands Report here (this link was also be included in the cover email for this summary): https://issuu.com/mercurynz/docs/final_turitea_bird___bat_report?fr=sOWViOTk3MDI Steph provided her details to the member of the meeting, to facilitate getting in touch with the Bird Atlas team to see whether our reporting on the site would be of interest to support their project.

Kevin said that robins were to be re‐released at the Reserve, and his team were working with the Massey team who were carrying out the release as they had planned to monitor the birds by drone. They would ensure that their work continued to be sensitive to bird life and to the new arrivals.

Steph said that there was a protocol around Accidental Discovery on site "Incidental fauna Discovery Protocols", and that the crews were engaged with protecting nesting birds, for example.

DATES FOR NEXT TWO MEETINGS > 1 April - before Easter and the school holidays > 3 June

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NEXT MEETINGS

MARGARET said that she hoped that representatives from the Councils would attend future meetings as people would be interested in hearing from them directly.

She asked what other projects in New Zealand were working to this standard.

Dennis said that Mercury as a company only exists due to its outstanding custodianship of natural resources – water, geothermal reservoirs, and now wind. Maintaining very high standards is what gives Mercury its continuing licence to operate, and it is uncompromising in protecting these standards. He noted that there was a change in attitude across the country to better environmental protection, and that recently a chair lift planned for Cardrona ski field was not built after a stronghold of lizards was found at the site.

QUESTION: was Mercury leading with this attitude or just doing what it had been told by its Consent Steph said that there had been a culture shift, and resource consents particularly as complex as this project, require the right attitude to make it happen. The consent may be driven at a legal level, but was implemented by people at a company and team level.

QUESTION: the Environmental Management Plan was set out in the Consent 10 years ago, so may not include improvements in environmental controls since that time.

Dennis agreed that some of the very prescriptive plans in the Consent would not reflect best practice today, so new site‐specific plans were made in these cases according to current standards, increasing the level of protections and monitoring, for example.

QUESTION: approved plans on the Mercury.co.nz/windupdates website are difficult to find and read, but if you email the turiteawindfarm@mercury.co.nz email address, specific plans can be emailed to you.

Dennis said we had become aware of difficulties with our current website, and were going to make it more user‐friendly to ensure this information was readily available to the public.

Margaret noted that the next meetings were scheduled for 1 April and 3 June. She thanked people for attending and participating.

LOCAL BUSINESSES INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT ABB’s local crew Adamson & Holland Advanced Security Ashhurst Engineering Auburn Court Avenue Motel (accommodation) Awatea Park (accommodation) B&M Fire BakerAg Beca – Palmerston North BK's Motorlodge Blackmore Valuations Brew Union Brewing Company Café Cuba Distinction Cuba (accommodation)

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Distinction Coachman(accommodation) Exclusive Cleaning Services Limited GHD Higgins Concrete Hireways Machinery Rentals JA Russell Ltd John Turkington Ltd Lumberland 2006 Ltd Manawatu Golf Course Moxies Cafe NZ Safety Blackwoods Palmerston North Airport Pho Nem Hanoi Quest

FURTHER CONTRACTS BEING AWARDED – THIS LIST WILL GROW

Signfusion Ltd Silverfin Nominees (office) Stringfellows Civil Engineering Contractors Treescape

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION > TURITEAWINDFARM@MERCURY.CO.NZ