Otago Daily Times

Hazard line going undergroun­d

- TIM MILLER Energy reporter tim.miller@odt.co.nz

YACHTIES in Port Chalmers will soon no longer have to worry about running their masts into a overhead power cable near the Back Beach boat ramp.

Last month a new overhead line crossing above Peninsula Beach Rd next to the Port Chalmers Yacht Club was installed as part of Aurora Energy’s pole replacemen­t programme in the area.

Almost as soon as the line had been installed it became a hazard for yachties using the nearby boat ramp.

Club commodore Greg Densem said numerous club members had hit the line with their masts while moving on to the ramp or the concrete washpad on the other side of the road from the club.

While there was no danger of electrocut­ion, it was dangerous for unsuspecti­ng boat users towing their yachts to and from the club with their masts up.

Since contacting Delta, which installed the cable, about the hazard three or four weeks ago, he had not heard from either company, Mr Densem said.

But on Tuesday, after inquiries from the Otago Daily Times, Aurora contacted the club to inform it the line would be moved undergroun­d by the end of the year.

Mr Densem said he was pleased with the outcome, which meant the area would be a much safer environmen­t for recreation­al boat users.

An Aurora spokesman said the design was still being finalised and the cable was expected to be placed undergroun­d by the end of the year.

While the line clearance was compliant and the line was insulated, Aurora had agreed to remove it as it was potential hazard for masts, the spokesman said.

The lines company also apologised for not keeping the club informed of the progress.

As the design was still being finalised there was no estimate for how much it would cost to put the cable undergroun­d but it was a relatively small job, he said.

 ?? PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN ?? Now you see it . . . A overhead power line installed only last month will soon run underneath Peninsula Beach Rd in Port Chalmers after yachties using the nearby boat ramp kept running into the cable with their masts.
PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN Now you see it . . . A overhead power line installed only last month will soon run underneath Peninsula Beach Rd in Port Chalmers after yachties using the nearby boat ramp kept running into the cable with their masts.

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