Orion New Zealand

[6] Orion is responsible for electricity distribution in Christchurch and the Selwyn District, bounded to the north and south by the Waimakariri and Rakaia Rivers and to the east and west by the Southern Alps and the Pacific Ocean respectively.

Orion takes power from seven Transpower grid exit points (from east to west): Bromley, Islington, Kimberley, Hororata, Coleridge, Castle Hill and Arthur's Pass.

To backup the single line supplies, four 1 MW diesel generators were installed at Queen Elizabeth II Park.

Replacement single 66 kV cables from Bromley to Dallington and Rawhiti were completed in 2015, allowing the temporary overhead lines to be removed.

To secure a second supply to both Waimakariri and Rawhiti zone substations, a new single 66 kV cable will be constructed to link them via Marshland.

This will allow the QEII Park generators to be removed and reinstalled in the Belfast area to secure supply in the northern suburbs.