Photo: Contact EnergyThe Slopedown wind farm in Southland has been given draft approval, national and regional benefits winning out over the impact on the local environment. Contact Energy has applied under fast-track legislation for the 55-turbine wind farm, seeking a consent for 30 years. During the operation of the project, Contact Energy must implement acoustically based live curtailment at nine different turbines. The bat detection system installed on the wind turbine must be connected to the wind turbine control system in order to feather and curtail the operation of the wind turbine when the bat detection system detected a long-tailed bat. After interested parties sent in their views, Contact Energy would then comment, and a final decision was expected in the middle of next month.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 10, 2026 18:46 UTC