Sustainability win at Transpower Awards for Clutha Upper Waitaki Lines Project

Beca was proud to celebrate the Clutha Upper Waitaki Lines Project winning the sustainability category at the Transpower Engineering and Technology Excellence Awards in Wellington last week. 

The inaugural awards, which will be biennial, celebrate engineering and technology excellence in New Zealand’s electricity transmission industry. The Sustainability category describes ‘an engineering or technology initiative or strategy that has or will provide long-term positive impacts on the environment’.  

“Delivering reliable, innovative and sustainable solutions is central to the work of our Power team, and so it was both rewarding and validating to see the Clutha Upper Waitaki Lines Project’s recognised at the Transpower Awards. Congratulations to the entire project team, who provided substation and transmission line services and maintained a keen focus on sustainable outcomes throughout, to substantially reduce the carbon footprint of the project,” says Mark Jacob, Beca Senior Principal – Power. 

In the words of the judges; “We were impressed with the simplicity of your approach. They commend an attitude that embodies sustainability and exemplifies what is necessary to achieve sustainable outcomes.” 

The objective of the Clutha Upper Waitaki Lines Project was to increase the capacity of the transmission lines in the Clutha and Upper Waitaki Valley regions, to meet New Zealand’s ongoing electricity needs. The typical process of upgrading transmission lines and substations requires a considerable amount of concrete and steel. Instead of the standard approach of demolishing the old and installing new, we opted to think differently, to apply a lens of innovation to the design, and reduce the new and re-purpose the old. This resulted in an overall carbon saving of 344.4 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e), equivalent of 85 return flights from Wellington to New York for one person. 

As shown by its success at the Awards, the Clutha Upper Waitaki Lines Project has not only paved the way for a resilient electricity network, but has also taken a step to building a more sustainable future. It is an excellent example of Beca’s Handprint – the positive good we can have through the work we do with our clients. 

Find out more about the Transpower Engineering and Technology Excellence Awards here.