New Zealand solar PV developer Lodestone Energy and Centralines have held a site blessing and ceremonial groundbreaking in Ongaonga to mark the start of construction on the 31.5MWp Central Hawke’s Bay solar PV power plant.
The project is structured as a 50:50 joint venture between Lodestone and Centralines, the consumer-owned lines company serving the Central Hawke’s Bay district.
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The solar PV plant will feature 49,000 high-efficiency 640W modules from Chinese manufacturer Trina Solar.
The electricity will connect directly into the Centralines distribution network, increasing locally produced generation for a region that has historically relied on power sourced from distant parts of the national grid. The project is expected to be operational by autumn 2027.
Centralines chair, Fenton Wilson, said the joint venture reflected the company’s focus on long-term regional investment.
“This project represents a long-term investment in the future of our region. As a consumer-owned lines company, we are focused on supporting energy resilience, enabling future growth and helping deliver lasting value and competitive pricing options for our consumers,” he said.
Lodestone managing director Gary Holden said the project would deliver benefits directly to local electricity users.
“This project will contribute to New Zealand’s acceleration of renewables while delivering benefits closer to home through locally generated electricity for Central Hawke’s Bay. Through our recently launched EASY Plan, the people of Hawke’s Bay will be able to share the benefits of this local solar generation with well-priced energy and an innovative pricing plan that alleviates the ups and downs of energy bills,” Holden said.
As previously reported by PV Tech, construction on the Central Hawke’s Bay plant was scheduled to begin in spring 2026 alongside the announcement that ASB Bank had backed the project to financial close, which stood at NZ$50 million (US$29.5 million).
The Central Hawke’s Bay plant is Lodestone’s sixth solar development in New Zealand.
Lodestone’s 42MW Te Herenga o Te Rā solar PV plant in the Bay of Plenty became the first solar PV plant connected directly to Transpower’s national grid when it was energised in January 2025, with agrivoltaic design allowing sheep to graze beneath raised modules on single-axis trackers. The company has set a target of generating 800GWh annually by 2038.
In June 2025, Lodestone began construction of its first South Island solar PV power plant at Clandeboye in Canterbury, a 27.7MW development on a 42-hectare flat site previously used for dairy farming, featuring approximately 45,000 single portrait bifacial modules designed to generate 43GWh annually and serve the company’s growing South Island customer base.
The groundbreaking comes days after Harmony Energy New Zealand and Igneo Infrastructure Partners energised the 202MWp Tauhei Solar Farm near Te Aroha in the Waikato region, now New Zealand’s largest solar installation, with full commercial operations targeted for September to October 2026.
