Sam Rowsell, programme manager at Lightyears Solar, and acting chief executive of MainPower, Damien Whiffen, at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new solar farm on Thongcaster Rd. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDWork has officially started on MainPower's new solar farm in North Canterbury. MainPower acting chief executive says the Thongcaster Rd site will be the first solar farm on the MainPower network. The MainPower board approved its construction and received the required consents for a 7.3MW solar farm on a 10-hectare site at Thongcaster Rd earlier this year. ‘‘We have built several solar farms in the area already and are close to completion on a 5 MW solar farm in Swannanoa, which is also on MainPower’s network.’’A site blessing and ground breaking ceremony was held to officially start construction of MainPower’s Thongcaster Road solar farm.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 06, 2026 14:03 UTC