OtagoNet, the electricity distribution network company that services a large part of Otago, was approached by the dairy factory owners to design and build a 2MW electricity supply for their development.
OtagoNet design engineer Lloyd Williamson, of Balclutha, said the size of the new factory meant it could not be supplied via the existing 11kV electricity line from the Clydevale substation, which is 7km from the site.
The cost and time required to complete an upgrade of the existing substation and line was "significant", he said. The project also included building a new substation, a new 33kV distribution line and river crossing, an 11kV extension from the factory to the factory's river pumps and rebuilding a section of existing 33kV line.
Otago Power Services had been contracted to build the line and substation. Otago Power Services carries out most of the lines work on the OtagoNet electricity network.
Power was connected to the plant at the end of July.
Gardians (Greenfields, Agricultural Research, Dairy Innovation and Nutritional Systems) is a joint venture involving Dunedin-based dairy farmer Grant Paterson and Auckland-based food packaging group Sutton Group.
A resource consent application filed with the Clutha District Council by Big River Dairy Ltd - of which Mr Paterson is listed as director - said the company was proposing to establish a new dairy processing plant on a dairy farm in Craig Rd, near Clydevale.
The factory consists of a milk powder plant with the capacity to process up to three tonnes of skim milk powder an hour, a thermal plant and a wastewater storage and disposal system.
It will operate up to 24 hours a day during the peak of the season, from the end of September until the end of December, and would be closed for most of June and July for the first few years of operation. In later years, it might work on specialist products during June and July.
The plant was initially expected to be fully operational by July. A spokeswoman for Sutton Group declined to give an opening date for the factory or provide an update on the plant's progress when contacted this week. However, the partners might look at holding an opening later in the year, she said.
