Clark yesterday said the NZ$520 million plant was one of the largest infrastructure projects currently underway in New Zealand.
The new gas turbine will be approximately 55% more energy efficient than the existing dual-fueled Huntly plant that can run on either gas or coal.
Once commissioned in December 2006, e3p will run as a baseload generator fuelled from gas supplied from the offshore Taranaki Pohukura and Kupe gas fields, Genesis deputy chairman Keith Smith said.
“Huntly e3p represents a substantial investment by Genesis Energy into securing electricity supplies for the upper North Island for several years to come," he said.
