Meridian Energy has lost its appeal for its Project Hayes wind farm project in the Lammermore Range in Central Otago.

The company planned to build 176 wind turbines over a 92 km ² area in the Lammermore Range in Central Otago, making it the biggest wind farm in the country. The project would have generated 630MW of electricity.

The company applied for resource consents from the Central Otago District Council in July 2006. The council granted the consents, but the decision was appealed to the Environment Court by local conservation and environmental groups.

MainPower is taking its case for the $200 million Mount Cass wind farm to the Environment Court after its resource consent was declined, claiming it has a plan to deal with the area’s unique geology.

The power company is citing strong support from North Canterbury locals for the wind farm and that much of the opposition came from outside the area.

The resource consent process has claimed two more victims, with the derailment of two major wind farm projects in the past week.

Days after consent for a farm near Dannevirke was denied last week, commissioners appointed by the Hurunui District Council also rejected a plan for a wind farm on Mount Cass in North Canterbury.

Contact Energy’s plan to build the largest wind turbines in New Zealand near Dannevirke has been blown away by electricity commissioners, who have turned down the power giant’s application to erect 65 of the turbines.

Contact lodged a joint application to Tararua District and Horizons Regional Councils to erect the wind farm on a 3600 ha site in the Waitahora valley south east of Dannevirke, with the hearing into the case wrapping up last month.