Building Maniapoto community resilience reached a milestone this week when The Lines Company successfully tested a Generation Insertion Point (GIP) installed at Tārewanga Marae in Ōtorohanga.
The Lines Company (TLC) has worked alongside Te Nehenehenui (the post settlement governance entity for Maniapoto) to fund six GIPs to be installed across the Maniapoto rohe. Each plug point strengthens community resilience during emergencies that may result in extended power cuts, such as weather events, by providing a ready-to-go connection for a generator.
“In the wake of recent cyclones and other extreme weather events, our people told us they see marae and pa as places of refuge,” said Kristen Pari, Te Nehenehenui Project Manager. “Equipping these community hubs with the necessary infrastructure to support our people during times of need was key to building resilience and highlighted that we can’t work in silos; we must work together.”
“TLC has been a great partner to work with, supporting our solar projects and setting up generators. Together, we continue to strengthen the ability of our marae to become self-sufficient” says Te Nehenehenui CEO Sam Mikaere.
“Our partnership with Te Nehenehenui is critical,” said Mike Fox, TLC’s Chief Executive. “”By working together on this project, we can install twice as many GIPs as we could each achieve on our own. Building resilience during natural disasters is an obvious community benefit, and building resilience together, doubles that community benefit.”
“The team flicked a number of appliances on during the test and everything worked very smoothly,” said Whae Pinzy Henry of Tārewanga Marae. “It is reassuring to know that we can now cater for our wider community from the marae should we need to set up a civil defence hub.”
“For Monday’s test, we used an existing TLC generator. In emergencies, generators are in high demand and we’re still talking about what this looks like long term,” said Fox.
“During an emergency, it is important that there is a seamless, safe and easy process to get community hubs switched over to generator power,” said Fox. “Over the coming months, we will be testing each GIP and developing a how-to guide tailored to each marae or other site.”
Background
A Generation Insertion Point or GIP is a socket unit that a generator can plug into when the power goes out due to a network outage. Currently five GIPs have been installed at marae and cultural centres on the TLC network. Waipa Networks co-funded the sixth which is on their electricity network, but within the rohe of Te Nehenehenui. Each GIP costs $5,000. Te Nehenehenui and TLC will be installing a further six GIPs on the network for use during emergencies.
Captions
The team from The Lines Company, Te Nehenehenui and Tārewanga Marae gathered for a group photograph following the successful test changing mains power over to generator power.
For more information contact: Kerry Fabrie 027 222 9602