Lodestone, Centralines Advance 31.5-MW Solar in NZ

• Lodestone Energy and Centralines team up on a 31.5MW solar project in New Zealand—building vital grid upgrades to boost clean power as demand rises and decarbonization accelerates.

Lodestone Energy and infrastructure specialist Centralines have partnered to advance a 31.5-MWp utility-scale solar project in New Zealand, a further step in expanding renewable generation and diversifying electricity supply. The planned facility is expected to add clean power to the national grid as the country faces rising demand and pushes decarbonization goals, with solar increasingly seen as a complement to hydro and wind.

Centralines will help deliver the infrastructure needed to connect the plant to the electricity network, including grid connection upgrades and supporting works to ensure generated power reaches consumers. Lodestone said it is among the country’s most active solar developers, with multiple projects operating and others in development, and more investment as renewable demand grows.

How will Centralines’ grid works enable Lodestone’s 31.5-MWp solar project in NZ?

• Centralines will act as the grid-infrastructure partner that bridges Lodestone’s 31.5-MWp solar output to New Zealand’s wider transmission and distribution network, making sure the project can export power reliably.
  
• The project will be enabled through grid-connection planning and upgrades, such as assessing existing network capacity, identifying constraints (thermal limits, voltage levels, and feeder loading), and specifying the reinforcement needed for a new utility-scale generator.
  
• Centralines’ scope will likely include enabling higher renewable penetration by strengthening the network elements that see increased power flows when the solar farm exports, helping avoid bottlenecks during peak production periods.
  
• Connection works will typically involve engineering studies and network modelling to determine how the solar plant should interface with the grid, including the appropriate point of connection and required protection settings.
  
• Power-quality and stability requirements will be addressed through grid-support design, helping manage voltage regulation and maintaining compliance with grid codes for intermittent generation.
  
• Centralines will support the installation or modification of switchgear, protection systems, and other electrical assets required so the solar plant can safely disconnect during faults and rapidly coordinate with grid protection.
  
• The grid connection will be designed to ensure safe synchronization and controlled ramping of exported power, supporting operational reliability as solar output changes with irradiance.
  
• Network supporting works—such as civil, cable, and connection infrastructure—will help ensure that generated electricity can move from the solar site to the nearest suitable grid interface without compromising system performance.
  
• Centralines’ operational experience with connecting generation will help streamline commissioning requirements, including testing, compliance checks, and performance verification at energization and during ramp-up.
  
• The “works to ensure generated power reaches consumers” piece is delivered by creating a technically sound export pathway so the plant’s output can be dispatched and absorbed by the network rather than curtailed due to local constraints.
  
• By facilitating the connection of an additional 31.5-MWp source, Centralines helps diversify supply alongside wind and hydro, reducing reliance on any single generation type and supporting decarbonisation targets.
  
• The expanded renewable capacity supports system planning for growing electricity demand by adding firming capability through complementary generation profiles (solar generation during daylight hours alongside hydro and wind patterns).