Lodestone Energy and Centralines have confirmed that construction will begin this spring on a NZ$50 million (US$29.5 million) solar PV power plant on the Ruataniwha Plains in Central Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.
The joint venture, structured on a 50:50 basis between the two partners, will deliver a 31.5MWdc solar PV power plant featuring approximately 49,000 solar modules and generating around 50GWh of renewable energy each year.
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Preliminary works are already underway on site, with full construction to follow this spring and commercial operations expected in late summer 2027. The 49,000 high-efficiency 640W modules from Chinese manufacturer Trina Solar have already been shipped to Napier ahead of installation.
Trina Solar has supplied modules for multiple earlier Lodestone projects, including Kohirā, Rangitaiki and Te Herenga o Te Rā.
Once operational, the facility will feed electricity directly into the local Centralines distribution network, increasing local generation and reducing the region’s reliance on power sourced from distant parts of the national grid.
Centralines’ ownership stake in the joint venture is designed to keep long-term value within the community, with financial returns supporting continued investment in regional electricity infrastructure.
Lodestone managing director Gary Holden said the project addresses a longstanding gap in Hawke’s Bay’s energy mix.
“Together, we’re bringing new renewable energy generation to Hawke’s Bay, a region blessed with excellent solar resources but historically challenged by high electricity prices. This project will increase local energy supply, strengthen regional energy resilience, create opportunities for retail innovation, and deliver lasting value to Hawke’s Bay communities and businesses for decades to come,” Holden said.
Centralines Chair Fenton Wilson added that the project ensures benefits from the development remain within the region.
“By investing in local generation, we’re strengthening the resilience of our network while ensuring the benefits of this development stay within our community,” Wilson said.
The Central Hawke’s Bay project is Lodestone’s sixth solar PV power plant development and follows a period of sustained construction activity across New Zealand.
As PV Tech reported in 2025, Lodestone’s 42MW Te Herenga o Te Rā solar PV plant in the Waiotahe Valley became New Zealand’s first solar PV plant connected directly to Transpower’s national grid, with the 69GWh development incorporating agrivoltaic design to maintain sheep grazing beneath elevated modules on single-axis tracker systems.
Agrivoltaics, a consistent feature of Lodestone’s solar PV power plant designs, will also be incorporated at the Ruataniwha Plains site, maintaining agricultural activity alongside solar generation.
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.
