TIMELINE

Thirty investors met in Wellington and proposed the establishment of the New Zealand Electric...

On 4 August 1888 it was announced that Reefton was the first New Zealand...

In 1899 electricity became closer to the Eastern Bay of Plenty when government surveyor...

The first electricity was generated in Whakatāne by Ngati Awa in 1903. Water from...

The Weekly Press covered the picturesque township of Whakatāne in September 1907. “Many of...

In 1907 lamps on the streets of Whakatāne were kerosene filled, and required someone...

It would take nearly ten years before the wider townships of Ōpōtiki and Whakatāne...

In 1912 the first hydroelectric scheme was commissioned at Omanawa Falls where it was...

In 1912 Ōpōtiki Borough Council was granted a licence for the installation of electric...

On 24 December 1913, thirty street lamps of 50 candle power were illuminated by...

Ōpōtiki Butter Factory was steam driven in 1913, when the option to have electricity...

Everything worked well for the Ōpōtiki community until 10 April 1918 when the township...

10 April 1918 flood, Ōpōtiki. The flood had covered the bank of batteries which...

The Karaponga hydro power scheme was official opened on 30 November 1922 by Whakatāne...

Miss Lea Skipper and Mr Symonds at the Karaponga Dam, c.1923.

Workers pose – one above and one below on the site of the McLaren...

The McLaren Falls Generator No. 2.

McLaren Falls power station, showing power house and bridge.

McLaren Falls dam and engineers house

The provisional committee of the Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board published its petition...

The first meeting of the Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board was held on...

In June 1925 at the opening of the new railway bridge at Taneatua in...

Electric lines – new railway bridge Taneatua

The Torrens building was purchased by the Electric Power Board in October 1926 for...

Vickerman and Lancaster’s application for the position of consulting engineers to the Bay of...

In 1927 Concrete Pole Manufacturing begins in Ōpōtiki, which limited the number of wooden...

Extension of the Electricity Network.

Pump Shed on the Rangitaiki Plains In 1927 the first section of the Rangitaiki...

Residential area of Whakatāne, 1928. The area occupied by the Dalgety building is the...

Pole Factory at Edgecumbe was operational

Transportation of poles on unsealed roads was often a challenge for the Power Board.

Ironically it was skills picked up in service during World War I which often...

Power was supplied to the Matata township in mid-1928. Although power had only been...

The McClary Electric Stove. “I am sure it was my mother’s delight to have...

De Laval Milking Machine The development of the Alpha Dairy Power Plant, which used...

Alfa-Laval and De Luxe Milking Machines

Electricity would play a big part in bringing what was considered by Government as...

Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board staff in 1930.

In 1930, the Ōpōtiki Dairy Factory was in negotiations with the board regarding its...

On the evening of 16 June 1932, a storm blew through the Bay of...

First official photograph of the Bay of Plenty Power Board

In 1938 the Whakatāne Borough Council agreed to shut down the Karaponga hydro scheme...

The Whakatāne MED negotiated to purchase electricity through the Bay of Plenty Electric Power...

Newly installed power poles in 1940

In 1903 Ngati Awa generated the first electricity at the Flax Mill. While Wairaka...

In March 1940, the Power Board received an invitation from Mayor Barry, Whakatāne Borough...

Official Party: Opening of Wairaka Park, 16 March 1940. The group included: Albert Oliphant...

In February 1944 an agreement between Whakatāne Borough Council and the Power board to...

Double hand splicing a cable

Winding machine invented by J D Dicker outside Mrs Graham’s house in Ohope in...

Bill Peagram operates the J D Dicker designed winding machine in 1948.

Four drum winding machine in 1948. New conductor was pulled in with the old...

With practically continuous flood conditions from 13 May 1948, the board was unable to...

During June 1948 the continuation of storms, both lightning and heavy wind, had caused...

By the end of June 1954, 239 dwellings in the Kawerau township were now...

Two standardised Volkswagens were purchased by the Power Board in late 1955. This raised...

BOPEPB Commerce Street depot. (W T Bray, photographer)

BOPEPB Commerce Street depot. (W T Bray, photographer)

BOPEPB Commerce Street depot. (W T Bray, photographer)

In 1957, flood damage had occurred around the towers across the Waioeka River, and...

Flood Damage Waioeka River Tower in 1957.

Flood Damage Waioeka River Tower in 1957.

Staff and Board of the Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board at retirement of...

McLean Road and Powdrell Road, Whakatāne under flood in 1960.

The 1960’s were a period of regular flooding in the Eastern Bay of Plenty....

Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board staff during the 1960 floods.

Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board staff during the 1960 floods.

Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board staff during the 1960 floods.

Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board staff during the 1960 floods.

Stewart Spence opening the Station Road substation in 1962.

In 1964 another flood event occurred in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. In this...

Opening of the Murupara Showroom in July 1964. l-r: unidentified; unidentified; unidentified; Pat Rogers;...

Opening of the Murupara Showrooms in July 1964

Opening of the Murupara Showroom in July 1964.

Opening of the Murupara Showroom in July 1964.

J W Rogers (1907 – 1973), Bay of Plenty Power Board engineer and Frank...

Helicopter used to install poles and wires during the reticulation of the Waioeka Gorge....

Bay of Plenty Electricity Ltd. (B.O.P. Electric Power Board), March 1965, Electricity reticulation of...

With the co-operation of the land owners in the Waioeka Gorge, 79 poles were...

Opening of Bay of Plenty Electric Power offices on Commerce Street, Whakatāne. Architect: Leigh,...

Opening of the Administration Building, 3 August 1968

Opening of the Administration Building, 3 August 1968

In February 1969, over 300 power poles had been installed on the Te Kaha...

Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board staff at Commerce Street building. Back l-r: M...

The final pole installed on the reticulation of the East Cape in 1972.

Opening of the Murupara Line Depot 28 April 1972.

Ruatāhuna power was finally switched on, on Saturday 9 December 1972, with a celebration...

Ruatāhuna switched on ceremony, held Saturday 9 December 1972 at the Mataatua Marae

“Power is going to help us all right, but I feel the kids are...

Te Tahi Street Depot opened in April 1974.

Preparation for the installation of the Coast Guard Antenna at Te Tahi Street Depot...

Āniwhenua Hydro Scheme is consented and site work begins in November 1977.

Āniwhenua Falls in 1977.

In February 1978 the Board agreed to spend $25,325 purchasing a mini-computer to replace...

Āniwhenua Dam Project under construction in 1980.

Āniwhenua Dam Project – the spillway 1981.

Āniwhenua Dam 1981.

Opening of Āniwhenua Power Station by Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robert Muldoon on 11...

Two drums of submarine cables were transported to Ohakana Island in February 1982. They...

Crossing the channel – the laying of the submarine cable to Ohakana Island, February...

1982 Award for Āniwhenua Hydro-Electric Project was unveiled by Platt Gow and Hon. Bill...

Whakatāne Control Room, 1984. l-r: Platt Gow; G Rough; F Bland; Anne Fraser MP...

Helicopter named ‘Llama’ used to position power poles during the Matahi installation. In December...

Helicopter operation, Matahi 1984. Helicopter operator, David Barrow and helicopter loader, David Logan, explain...

Not everything always goes according to plan, when a staff member drove the Bedford...

George Smith Shield Competition, Whakatāne 1987. Collection: Joe Clements

The proud winners of the George Smith Shield (from left) W.Jackson, J.Herbert, J.Teddy (foreman)...

On Monday 2 March 1987 at 1.35 pm, an earthquake of 5.2M struck, which...

Services throughout the Whakatāne, Kawerau and Rangitaiki Plains felt the full force of the...

The Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board and Whakatāne MED merged on 1 April...

In 1990, the question of underground cabling was raised again with the opportunity to...

The Ormat geothermal power plant, which was the first of its kind in New...

The review of the board’s depots was presented in October 1991. John Buchanan recommended...

In 1994 Tarawera Geothermal Plant (TG2) the second binary cycle geothermal power station was...

On 10 February 1995, the Directors approved the Company seek listing and quotation of...

In 1998 Bay of Plenty Electricity Limited sells its retail and generating business, as...

The July 2004 flood event that struck large areas of the Eastern Bay of...

To boost the company profile, it was agreed that the naming rights for the...

The facility, known as “Stadium Horizon”, was intended to enhance the identity as a...

The rebranding of the company as Horizon Energy took place in 2006. The change...

In June 2006 there was severe damage caused to the company’s network in Ruatāhuna...

The weight of the snow resting on spans that stretched over 1km in places...

Line repairs across Raukokere River by Horizon Networks in 2008 l-r W. McLellan, C....

In 2008, the company, with the support of the Eastern Bay Energy Trust, spent...

In April 2008 the electrical contracting business Total Power Services (TPS) and Awakeri Electrical...

On 14 September 2009, Marlborough Lines Limited (MLL) made a conditional offer to acquire...

In 2009, the Company upgraded and replaced 392 pillars, completed underground projects in Ōpōtiki,...

In January 2010, the energy trust announced its intention to purchase the remaining 22.71...

In 2010, the existing 33kV lines from Transpower were not connected at Te Rahu...

The ongoing commitment to Invest In the reliability and supply of electricity resulted in...

In 2010, the company completed its investment in establishing its own Glove and Barrier...

In September 2010 a magnitude 7.1 earthquake damaged buildings and weakened infrastructure in Christchurch....

Other Horizon staff also rallied to support the Christchurch earthquake and raised $10,000 between...

In 2011, the Company achieved ACC tertiary accreditation

In 2011, the company upgraded its Geospatial Information System and although the company had...

The SCADA and communication network was upgraded in 2011 to support the implementation of...

In 2011, the growth of the Ōpōtiki region because of the expansion of the...

Following a period of extreme rain, the slips on Ohope Road resulted in the...

While there had been considerable growth in electrical infrastructure in New Zealand, including the...

In 2012 34 protection devices were installed and commissioned on the network. Following the...

The Company achieved AS/NZS 4801, 7901 and ISO 9001 certifications

Eastern Bay Energy Trust committed $120,000 to the Whakatāne library and exhibition centre project,...

The opening of Te Kōputu a Te Whanga a Toi in June 2012 signalled...

The construction for Tūhoe of Te Uru Tamatua at Taneatua presented an exciting challenge...

One of the worst electrical storms to hit the Eastern Bay of Plenty in...

The company’s head office in Whakatāne was earthquake strengthened in 2014 by the landlord...

Wild weather wreaked havoc on the Rangitaiki Plains on 15 May 2015. With trees...

The last two power poles in Hinemoa Street, Whakatāne were removed on 16 July...

In May 2015 Eastern Bay Energy Trust announced that it had reached an agreement...

In 2015 the electricity supply to the Galatea region was improved following the Galatea...

Exploding power cables frightened residents of James Street, Whakatāne on 23 January 2016 when...

Five line mechanics from Horizon – Joe Clements, Hasley Moore, Hek Puha, Aaron Radford...

A line truck was shipped to Fiji and the Horizon team spent 20 days...

Power finish. The first to cross the 50km finish line in the Oxfam Trail...

The Eastern Bay’s first electric vehicle fast charger was installed by Horizon at Otuawhaaki,...

With the growth and diversification of the Group, a review of the business branding...

The 2016 financial year represented the first time that the Company would be required...

On 6 April 2017, the stop bank at Edgecumbe broke at 8.30 am, flooding...

In an effort to alleviate a country-wide issue of the shortage of tradespeople, Horizon...

The first stage of the Ōpōtiki substation project was completed which included the construction...

Ōpōtiki Substation Switchgear in 2017.

In 2018, Cyclone Gita resulted in 5215 customers’ homes and farms without power as...

Horizon linesmen begin to repair damaged lines and restore power to 629 Mokorua customers.

On 7 August 2018 Horizon successfully acquired the East Coast Transmission line from Transpower...

Horizon launched its set of core values in 2018 that was embodied in the...

To reflect the overall growth and development of the Group the vision, mission, purpose,...

With global trends and movement in reducing fossil fuel, the impact of solar photovoltaic...

The work undertaken in 2018/2019 marked the beginning of the Company adopting an asset...

Covid 19 cases begin to emerge worldwide and by 4 March 2020, a second...

In September 2020, the Eastern Bay Energy Trust announced that it would be changing...

The global commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 2025 was gaining momentum with several...

With the increased uptake of rooftop solar solutions and electric vehicles, the Company invested...

Trialling new technology to keep ice cream cold was an opportunity Horizon shared with...

The asset management plan was redeveloped in 2021 and now included three new sections...

In 2021, the Company completed undergrounding of King Street and Alexander Avenue, replaced six...

A final audit for ISO55001 was scheduled for June 2022 and in August 2022...

Key Network Statistics