A $400,000 plan has been hatched to upgrade Glenorchy's vulnerable power supply.
Lines maintenance contractor Delta Utility wants to upgrade a 2.5km stretch of line between Arawata Terrace, in Queenstown's Sunshine Bay, and the Forestlines development on Moke Lake Road.
That includes replacing 16 deteriorated wooden poles.
Steel poles will be flown in by helicopter and larger capacity wires will be strung along that section.
The poles will be replaced in summer because they stand above the snow line.
A consent application to the Queenstown Lakes District Council said the steel poles would be stored near the lines, to be immediately available ''in event of failure''.
A concession for the work has been sought from Doc.
Delta asset management general manager Derek Todd said: ''Contractors are on site this week to install the foundations and bolt cages for the first set of new steel poles, along the route of the existing line above Sunshine Bay.''
Glenorchy Community Association secretary Alan Temple said the community had been increasingly aware of the power lines' vulnerability.
''It's 48 kilometres between Queenstown and Glenorchy and every time we get a good, heavy dump of snow you seem to lose power here,'' he observed.
