Over 47,000 solar panels at Taiohi Solar Farm Rangiriri, Waikato
Feisst Electrical joined forces with Infratec to support the delivery of NewPower Energy’s Taiohi Solar Farm in the northern Waikato. Infratec and NewPower Energy are subsidiaries of WEL Networks.
Our scope involved electrically connecting 47,000 700-watt 28-volt solar panels and delivering full electrical reticulation across the 100-acre site. This included:
- 34 kilometres of 1,500-volt DC cabling
- 6 kilometres of MV cabling
- Approximately 9.5 kilometres of trenching
- Termination of 240 combiner boxes
- Positioning and wiring of seven new 18-tonne 3–4MVA inverters
Working closely with Infratec and WEL Services, our team ensured a seamless connection back to the network. Each inverter is critical in converting the energy generated by the solar panels into clean power for the national grid.
With a projected output of around 33 megawatts, Taiohi is set to become a frontrunner in renewable energy and innovation within the Waikato region.
Programme & DeliveryDelivering a project of this scale required tight coordination between the civil, mechanical, and electrical scopes. Feisst Electrical took responsibility for developing an electrical programme that integrated seamlessly across all disciplines, keeping the project on track and aligned.
Across a large site and multiple crews, the team navigated weather delays, wet ground conditions, and lightning alerts. Despite these challenges, work progressed smoothly - a testament to careful planning, experienced delivery, and proactive site coordination.
Wayne Newbury-Lee, Programme Manager at Infratec, praised the team’s contribution:
“I can’t express how much I appreciate the collaborative nature and overall performance of your site team (including subcontractors). The get-it-done culture, balanced with quality of work, safety, and positive attitude towards every challenge, is excellent. We do not under-estimate the value your team is bringing to the project.”Impact & Capability
This project reinforces Feisst Electrical’s role as a trusted partner in utility-scale, network-connected solar infrastructure.
Key outcomes:
- Capacity: 33MW of clean solar generation
- Scope delivered: DC/LV, MV, controls, and communications packages
- Impact: Supporting New Zealand’s renewable energy transition through utility-scale solar
- Capability: Proven expertise in coordinating large, multi-disciplinary programmes and delivering complex projects nationwide
Each new inverter weighs 18 tonnes and is essential to converting the energy generated by the 47,000 high-performance solar panels into clean power for the national grid.