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National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission:
Further Guidance on Risks of Development near High-voltage Transmission Lines

The National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission requires local authorities to manage adverse effects caused by development near high-voltage transmission lines. This document provides information on the risks of development and activities in relation to the transmission network and how these could be regulated under the Resource Management Act.

Further guidance on implementing the National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission is provided in National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission: Implementation Guidance for Local Authorities.

1 Introduction

1.1 Purpose

The National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission (NPSET) established a range of policies to direct the management of effects generated by the national transmission network, and the management of effects on the network generated by development in close proximity to it. Specifically, the NPSET requires local authorities to give effect to Policies 10 and 11, which require them to manage adverse effects caused by development near high-voltage transmission lines.

This report has been prepared in response to a request from councils for further information on the risks of development and activities in relation to the transmission network, and how these could be regulated under the Resource Management Act 1991. This material could form part of, or help prepare, a section 32 assessment to implement the NPSET, and Policies 10 and 11 in particular. These policies relate to managing the effects of third-party development on the operational requirements of the network, as well as managing the effects of the network on third parties:

Policy 10

In achieving the purpose of the Act, decision-makers must to the extent reasonably possible manage activities to avoid reverse sensitivity effects on the electricity transmission network and to ensure that operation, maintenance, upgrading, and development of the electricity transmission network is not compromised.

Policy 11

Local authorities must consult with the operator of the national grid, to identify an appropriate buffer corridor within which it can be expected that sensitive activities will generally not be provided for in plans and/or given resource consent. To assist local authorities to identify these corridors, they may request the operator of the national grid to provide local authorities with its medium to long-term plans for the alteration or upgrading of each affected section of the national grid (so as to facilitate the long-term strategic planning of the grid).

The question for local authorities is not whether to manage these effects (because they are required to be managed), but, working with Transpower, how these effects should be managed.

1.2 Other associated documents

Figure 1 below shows the relationship between the NPSET, the National Environmental Standard for Electricity Transmission Activities and the associated guidance documents.

Figure 1: Relationship of this guidance with other associated documents

Read a text version of this figure

This diagram illustrates the relationship of this guidance document with other associated documents.

The National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission is the overarching document. There are two guidance documents: ‘NPSET Implementation Guidance for Local Authorities’ and ‘Further Guidance on Risks near High Voltage Transmission Lines’

The ‘National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission Activities’ sits under the NPSET and is supported with ‘Guidance on NES for Electricity Transmission Activities’

There is also ‘Technical Information on Electricity Transmission’.

This document is prepared as further guidance to help local authorities implement the NPSET.

The NPSET Implementation Guidance for Local Authorities provides local authorities with direction on how the National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission, which came into effect on 10 April 2008, can be best given effect through regional and district planning instruments.

The Technical Information on Electricity Transmission will provide information on the technical aspects of electricity transmission, particularly the form and function of the national grid and the issues associated with planning for its long-term development, as well as its ongoing maintenance and upgrading requirements. This detailed guidance will be released as part of the guidance package for the National Environmental Standard for Electricity Transmission Activities.