Helicopter inspection at Whakamaru and Ātiamuri

21 August 2020

A helicopter will be in the air for The Lines Company (TLC) this Saturday at Whakamaru and Ātiamuri undertaking critical line inspections.

TLC inspects its entire 33kV line network by helicopter each year to checking for faults.  The purpose of this flight is to inspect for potential faults prior to the Whakamaru Area being supplied from our Ātiamuri Substation in just over a week. Inspections are normally delayed until after calving and lambing to minimise any impact on stock, however due to weather conditions and the upcoming switchover, the inspection will take place this Saturday.

General Manager of TLC’s Network, Mike Fox says “Using helicopters is a quick and cost-effective way to get a view you simply can’t get from the ground.”

“This helicopter inspection is crucial for safety and to ensure the reliability of power supply to TLC customers at Whakamaru and Ātiamuri.

“The 33kV line has a major impact on customers because it transports power to the substation, so we want to take a good hard look at that line before we switch over supply,” said Fox.

Weather permitting, inspection of the 33kV line will commence first thing in the morning on Saturday 22 August and will continue until the line inspection has been completed.