EA Networks

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It may have a new name and a new home, but EA Networks remains a pivotal part of the Mid

Canterbury community and business landscape.

Formerly operating as Electricity Ashburton, EA Networks was established in 1923 as the Ashburton Electric Power Board, a privately owned generator business, and has grown into what it is today – a successful locally owned co-operative employing more than 100 people. The company is now based in its new premises, located at the Ashburton Business Estate.

During September 2012 the trading name EA Networks was adopted – a refreshed brand to reflect the changing nature of the business beyond just electricity distribution.

Today, the company supplies electricity line services to around 18,000 consumers, using almost 3,000km of lines in across Mid Canterbury – both underground and overhead. It also has a significant fibre-optic communications business and an investment in irrigation, through its Barrhill Chertsey joint venture. Ensuring the networks all run smoothly across Mid Canterbury is a dedicated team from EA Networks’

contracting and network divisions. They’re on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure electricity and communication supply stays on.

They’re a flexible team, with multiple skills, which is vital in their industry, because of the fast paced change in technology and its adoption across the business. During 2008, EA Networks began developing its fibre communications network, primarily to enable the use of high voltage line protection between the electricity network sub-stations as well as remote control of its electricity assets. As a direct spin-off from this, EA Networks increased fibre capacity during development to enable residents and businesses on the fibre route to connect to the network. This allows access to ultra-fast broadband and other communication services that would otherwise be largely unavailable. EA Networks also took the opportunity to connect all of the district’s schools, which are able to access the fibre network free of charge.

It’s all part of their commitment to the local

community; a community which is directly invested in the business.

EA Networks is a co-operatively owned business that owns, operates and maintains infrastructure assets. All new electricity consumers are initially allocated 100 unpaid rebate shares, with almost all new consumers choosing to retain the shareholding and the benefits associated with ownership. Earlier this year the company returned over $4 million to its customer-shareholders. This demonstrates the value of local ownership. Being locally owned means a lot to the company as it allows all decisions to be made with a community focus. As well, any profits can be distributed to customer shareholders and therefore reinvested back to the local community.

The day-to-day running of EA Networks is managed by Chief Executive Gordon Guthrie along with a dedicated staff of over 100. 

Congratulations EA NetworksBuilding a state of the art control centre and headquarters to power Ashburton District into the future is a smart move.

Also a smart move to choose the Ashburton Business Estate as the new home of EA Networks.

Fully serviced and scaleable sections tailor-made for your business.

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EA Networks has found its perfect home at the Ashburton Business Estate.

The well-known Mid Canterbury business has moved from the place it called home for more than 90 years to a new, bigger and brighter home at the Ashburton Business Estate, north of Ashburton. It’s a fresh outlook for a business that has been a firm part of the Mid Canterbury landscape since 1923 and up until last year, whose home had been Kermode Street in central Ashburton.

Commercial Manager Jeremy Adamson said EA Networks simply outgrew its previous Kermode Street premises. He said it had become a rabbit warren as the business grew and changed over the years.

Its old buildings dated back as far as the 1920s and with its pole storage yard at a separate location, the old site was far from ideal. So, with the old buildings coming up for renewal, it was time to make a decision – demolish and rebuild, or find a new site altogether.

Central Ashburton was not an ideal place for a company like EA Networks. Access for its fleet of large trucks was often tricky in what became an increasingly busy part of town as retail developed around it. So when the Ashburton District Council’s new business estate development was completed, the decision on the future of EA Networks became easy – relocate to JB Cullen Drive.

“From here we have great access to State Highway 1, Bremners Road and Company Road, which in turn gives us rapid access across the district. It also keeps our main traffic movements out of central

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EA Modern and ContemporaryChris Prebble Architects is a progressive and modern New Zealand based architectural practice with offices in Christchurch and Wanaka.

We are a design based practice providing high quality innovative architecture specific to our client’s needs. Our portfolio includes a wide range of building projects including housing, multi-unit residential, commercial, tourism, and retail design.

Our practice is committed to providing architecture of a high calibre, and our services cover all aspects of design and documentation through to project management, landscape, and interior design.

Chris Prebble architects were commissioned by EA networks to relocate their entire operation to a new site situated within the Ashburton Business Park.

Our brief was to re-house each of the separate business functions into three buildings all located on the one site.

The main office and public area is located in a dominant position and acts as a gateway to the wider facility.

The buildings are contemporary in form with extensive glazing to the street protected by extruded horizontal window transoms.

The office floor plate is predominately open plan to provide maximum flexibility as EA Networks various business functions evolve. Work clusters have been subtly separated using glazed timber louvres which provide a level of intimacy whilst still promoting wider staff interaction.

The palette is generally light throughout combined with richer accents in the form of natural timbers and stone tiling intended to reflect the local Rakaia landscape.

The outcome is a modern, contemporary facility that our Client is very happy with and that we as Architects are proud to present.

Phone 03 366 3349

Unit 7, 106 Carlyle Street, Christchurch

[email protected]

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Contracting division offices

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PHONE 03 377 8600

Cosgroves Mechanical, Electrical and Fire Engineers teamed up with Chris Prebble Architects to deliver a new building complex for Electricity Ashburton. Due to the critical nature of Electricity Ashburton as an energy provider it was vital that Cosgroves design solution reflected this. The main building needed to operate in an emergency via standby generators, which were minimised by Cosgroves electrical team focusing on delivering a low energy use environment. A key part of this strategy was lighting system controls that reducing lighting levels in areas with more daylight in the main building.

Combining the need to deliver a comfortable workplace environment with Cosgroves “Energy Efficiency” principles was a key focus for the Mechanical team. A heat recovery air conditioning system was installed, with touch screen controls. Outdoor air systems utilised air to water heat pump systems for air tempering, with this system also being used to provide under floor heating to the building reception areas. Provision was also made for water storage on site to allow the building to continue to operate during emergencies.

The workshop and line store areas represented the industrial side of the Electricity Ashburton operation with welding extract systems and general warehouse extract systems interlocked with roller shutter doors to shut off the fans when natural ventilation was available.

Electricity Ashburton take pride in being a community based co-operative. Cosgroves share these principles and as a company are happy to have worked on several major projects in the Ashburton area.

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TM Consultants had pleasure in working closely with Electricity Ashburton to deliver the civil and hydraulics package to their new facility.

Many of TM Consultants projects are being supported with funding for sustainable initiatives from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) and from the Christchurch Agency for Energy (CAFE.)

Director Mike Baker says of all engineering consultancies in Christchurch, TM Consultants has received the largest amount of funding and had the largest number of projects through CAfE with

in Government funding grants approved over the past 8 months alone. And that only covers TMCo’s consulting time with further grants available for the building owners to install higher sustainable systems.

“That really backs up our expertise and our commitment to using energy wisely,” he says.

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Ashburton which is positive for everyone,” Mr Adamson said.

The new site, made up of three large, purpose built buildings, opened last year and has allowed EA Networks to operate more efficiently.

The main building is the network’s home; it is bright, airy, open plan and houses electrical engineering staff, network designers and customer service and administration staff, and the all-important network control centre.

Just a stone’s throw away is the contracting and technical services building. This is made up of office space as well as a large, open workshop where much of the technical work and servicing is completed.

The third large building on the site is the store that supplies much of the hardware and equipment vital in the day-to-day running of EA Networks.

Moving to the new site might have allowed the company to work more effectively, but it also came with another bonus – one which in this day and age in Canterbury is incredibly important. By developing a new purpose-built base, EA Networks was able to ensure it would always be there, no matter what was thrown at it.

“We learned from the devastating earthquakes in Christchurch that resilience is critical for a business like ours where we are expected to be able to respond to events effectively and immediately,” Mr Adamson said.

With that in mind, the buildings were designed to withstand significant seismic events, well beyond

Main reception, networks division

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Harvey Signs wants to congratulate EA networks on the completion of their new building. Harvey Signs has been there from the start throughout the building process of their new Administration, Contracting & Stores buildings.

We provided EA networks with specialised adhesive window �lms, vision strips, glass partition and door signage.Their innonative use of new glass signage ideas on the meeting rooms is a unique treatment and a feature of the Administration facility.

Our skills were also used for the exterior way�nding signage and the striking key illuminated lawn sign.

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standard building code. In structural engineering terms, each building has been designed and built to an importance level four (IL4) standard.

On the top floor of the network building is the all-important network control centre. That’s where EA Networks monitor and control exactly what is going on with the company’s electricity and fibre networks. Because of its importance, it’s designed to be the strongest part of the building.

“During a natural disaster, electricity and communication networks can be damaged, not to mention buildings and other infrastructure. We took the opportunity to develop a highly resilient environment that would allow us to focus and respond to the district’s needs without having to worry about our own,” Mr Adamson said.

But there’s no issue with that thanks to the impressive construction work of Bradford Building and the design of Chris Prebble Architects and the other consultants,

who ensured the building will withstand the test of time, and whatever else Mother Nature may throw at it.

They have a catchphrase at EA Networks, and that is ‘we’re here to help, let’s talk’ – and that sums them up. They can be found on JB Cullen Drive in the Ashburton Business Estate off Northpark Road and they’re happy to talk, and ready to help with your electricity, contracting and fibre communication needs. 

Staff cafe, networks division

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We would not hesitate to use Bradfords again, and highly recommend them for large scale commercial projects. The success of our development is a testament to their skills and expertise in the construction industry.

Jeremy AdamsonCommercial Manager,EA Networks

EXPERIENCE COUNTS

25 YEARS CANTERBURY OWNED

To build it’s new home, EA Networks enlisted the help

of another long-standing Mid Canterbury firm – Bradfords.

Such a large complex and the fact that it was being built in a time when rules and regulations had been tightened due to lessons learnt from the Canterbury earthquakes, meant it wasn’t an average build for the team at Bradfords.

Bradfords’ general manager Mark Wilson said the project consisted of three separate buildings located at 22 JB Cullen Drive in the new business park, north of Ashburton. The three buildings that were constructed by the team at Bradfords were the main office, workshop and line store.

All buildings are designed to IL4 (importance level four) level which requires the building to withstand a major earthquake. Mr Wilson said that required the main office building to be extremely robust in its structure and meant that the supervision and sign off from the structural engineer during the construction phase was intense. Everything had to be done by the book, including every concrete pour having to be recorded

photographically. That was partly due to the fact that EA Networks’ new building was one of the first of its size and kind to be built in Canterbury, following the devastating earthquakes.

“We had a total of 1,886m3 of concrete for the three buildings, 69,000kg of steel work, 3,320m of steel purlins, just to name a few products that were used on these three buildings let alone the huge amount of asphalt paving to the carparks and chipseal to the pole storage area,” Mr Wilson said.

He said the office building was state of the art with an up to date communication system along with an ability to hook in a substantial generator to run the building systems and the electrical network control in a situation when their power is knocked out.

Mr Wilson said Bradfords were privileged to be selected as the local builder to construct EA Networks’ new headquarters and they wished them all the best for the future in a building that was modern and would stand the test of time.

A note from the builders

Contracting building workshop and technical services department

Stores division

When you work with electricity, one wrong move could be deadly.

There’s no second chances with live electricity cables, so for the staff at EA Networks there are safety rules and regulations which are followed to the tee.

For EA Networks, safety is looked at from the point of view of both their workforce, and the general public.

From the general public’s point of view, safety measures include the ongoing process of undergrounding electricity lines which in turn also reduces the number of poles on the road side.

The company also has the ability to turn off supply to customers properties if they’re working around electricity cables. They recommend that if you’re painting your house, for example, and you’re going to be working near wires going into your house, that you have your electricity supply temporarily disconnected while you work. Just contact them to arrange any temporary disconnection.

Members of the public should not be complacent when it comes to the simplest of tasks. Even if you’re digging a small hole you need to check before you dig to make sure there’s no live cables under the ground.

Of particular concern though, Mr Stirling said, is people operating heavy machinery like hedge trimmers and irrigation booms

in environments where there are live cables which could come into contact with the machinery. The public need to be vigilant and keep well clear of electricity cables.

If electricity lines do come down (as some did during the recent wind storm in Canterbury) they should be treated as live until proven otherwise, Mr Stirling said. EA Networks won’t be far away to deal with such situations and people should always stay well clear.

For those working in the industry, electrical safety regulations have been through some significant changes – it’s all about making workers more aware of public safety. EA Networks are always on top of the regulations actively checking and monitoring compliance.

The company took steps to improve safety further, and now own 23 defibrillators. Each truck carrying more than one person has one on board. Fortunately, so far they haven’t needed to use them. That’s largely thanks to stringent procedures in place to ensure their staff are safe at all times. But there’s always the danger, and as part of the job, every six months they are required to do CPR refresher courses, Mr Stirling said.

At EA Networks they are already vigilant, and continuously looking at ways of improving safety, both for their own staff and the public.

CONTRACTING

Over the last few years . . .

116 Wakanui Road, RD 7 Ashburton 7777 Phone: 03 307 2480 Mobile: 021 [email protected] www.welshy.co.nz

n General Earthmoving 1.6-22 tonne excavators n Plant Hire n Concrete breaking n Post hole boring n Shingle and material transportation and supplies n Directional Drilling (horizontal drilling) n Underground Thrusting n Sucker Truck Hire n 230 Hp Tractor Hire n Dump and Gravel Trailers n Hiab Truck Hire n General Farm Maintenance n Supply, design and fit stock water systems n Cleaning calf sheds n Water race clearing n Root raking n Tree stump and hedge removal n Mole ploughing n Large trenching n Effluent ponds n Water races n Mainline Drainage n Site clearances n House founds n Demolition n Trenches/cable and pipe laying

We have grown more and more and are happy to now be able to offer even more to our customers.

To demonstrate this growth and change, Welshy Digger Hire Ltd will now be known as ‘Welshy Contracting’.

Welshy Contracting is now able to take on all your contracting requirements large and small. The addition of a Directional Drill to

the fleet allows for the installation of underground services without the need for opening trenches, which saves disruption to your property.

Available also for shorter underground installation, we have a Hammerhead Thruster.

As part of the fleet ,we have a Hydro Vacuum Truck, available to locate underground hazards (power and phone cables, water pipes and sewers)

without the danger of hitting or damaging them.

A new 230Hp Duetz-Farr Tractor is a power pack for all your agriculture needs. Our capable team are able to work with you and your implements and/or make use of our large Dump Trailer for on-farm cartage, a Gravel Trailer which is great for filling pivot ruts and mole ploughing capabilities.

Our Digger Fleet remains strong, currently operating 1.6 – 2.7 tonne Mini Diggers, 8 tonne and 22 tonne Excavators, Bobcat and our JCB 3CX Backhoe. They are supported by our Truck Fleet which includes: mini Tip Trucks, Hiab Truck and a Volvo Tip Truck and Trailer.

With the right gear, along with a great team we are well suited to handle all of your contracting needs. Call today to discuss your next contracting job.

Mark Davies (Welshy)Managing Director - Welshy Contracting

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Safety training exercise

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The public face of EA Networks is the company’s contracting department.

They’re the ones you’ll see out in the field and on the roads doing the ground work, like new line installations and underground conversions. They’re also the ones who will come to your assistance if the lights go out in the middle of the night.

The department is EA Networks’ biggest, with a staff of around 60 people, ranging from customer supply advisors, inspectors and technicians, linesmen, fault-men, electricians and cable jointers.

Among those staff are many who have served the company for a number of years, helping the people of Ashburton and working their way up through the ranks.

Contracting Manager Wayne Watson and Contracting Supervisor Richard ‘Spike’ Sampson are two of those people. Both started their careers early with the company – Mr Watson as an apprentice electrician more than 30 years ago, and Mr Sampson as a holiday labourer some 13 years ago.

Both say that shows the dedication of the staff and the commitment the company has toward its staff. There’s plenty of room to progress with good career paths for hard-working people.

Rural areas provide much of their work through network upgrades, maintenance and new on-property connections. Irrigation and dairy sectors have driven a lot of new connection work into the business and supply advisors are only too happy discuss the electricity needs of customers.

“We’re here to provide the best advice and solutions to customer needs,” Mr Sampson said.

Urban areas also provide steady work, much of this being underground cabling since the company has a policy to remove electricity poles from all urban areas around the district.

The department has a team dedicated to installing earthing systems, critical elements to any electricity network installation. This work takes place across the district and wider South Island as the team has developed a reputation for high quality work.

EA Networks runs a 24/7 fault service and their staff are always on top of their game. They have to be, because there’s always an element of danger working with electricity and safety is paramount.

According to Mr Watson and Mr Sampson, linesmen - or ‘lineys’ as they are known - are a close fraternity. They say running up an electricity pole is not for everyone. It’s a dangerous job and because of that, there’s plenty of rules and regulations that must be adhered to.

All linesmen are licensed and every six months they must do CPR training to keep their tickets, safety is paramount.

After all, they work in an industry where there are no second chances. There is always an element of risk involved in what they do but the company has a strong safety record.

The on-call work is more often than not, weather related. Unexpected events like large snowfalls, strong winds or in more recent times, earthquakes, can turn a normal day into a hectic day. Working in conditions like that mean workers have to be both hardy and vigilant.

They deal with all sorts of situations at a moment’s

notice. If a car crashes into an electricity pole and takes out electricity supply to the surrounding area, it’s the staff of EA Networks who are often first on the scene to ensure the danger posed by potentially live wires is taken out of the equation. They’re also often the last to leave, as the pole is replaced and electricity supply restored as quickly as possible.

If your electricity supply goes out in the middle of the night, they’ll be there to fix it, although they’re not the ones to call if that does happen. Customers should always contact their electricity retailer to report faults or supply problems. The retailers in turn contact EA Networks and then fault men are dispatched to remedy the problem. They do that at any time of the day, on any day of the year.

Their work takes them around the district and up and down the South Island, as earthing systems and fibre contracting services are offered anywhere.

But they’re still a local company, working for local people. 

Ashburton Contracting LimitedP 03 308 4039 A 48 South Street, Ashburton W www.ashcon.co.nz

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When it comes to electricity, the expectations of customers are high.

They expect electricity supply to be available at all times and when it’s not, they’re not happy.

So EA Networks works around the clock to ensure the electricity supply is robust – but faults do occur, and if it does happen to go off, they ensure that it’s back on as soon as possible.

EA Networks owns the network which distributes electricity to around 18,000 customers or connections around Mid Canterbury.

It covers the area from the Rangitata River in the south to the Rakaia River in the north, and from the coast to the Mid Canterbury high country. Across the land there’s around 3000km of electricity lines, ensuring people get electricity where they need it.

Demand for that electricity has grown dramatically over the years, due largely to the growth of irrigation since the 1970s. When irrigation expands it means more pumps to drive the water, and for that, electricity is essential.

The team of electrical engineers also need to ensure

that they can always connect the next customer and to do that they need to forecast growth. That isn’t always easy, with the connected load having grown by more than 100 per cent since 2005.

In Mid Canterbury the electricity load is significantly higher (more than double) during summer months compared to winter, due to irrigation. That’s unusual compared to other parts of New Zealand, where in big cities it is the opposite with winter loads being higher due to heating demand.

Continual growth has resulted in voltage changes. The

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old 11,000 volt distribution network is being upgraded to 22,000 volts, with Mid Canterbury seen as one of the forerunners of this voltage system.

The backbone (or sub-transmission system) supplying major zone sub-stations is now supplied with 66,000 volts, which is progressively replacing the older 33,000 volt system. This has enabled EA Networks to deal with ever increasing demand for electricity, especially in the rural area.

“The end result is that we can now deliver a lot more electricity through the same sized wires,” EA Networks’ Operations Manager Ken Stirling said.

“It’s been a decision that has been very worthwhile; it has stood us in good stead now and for the future.”

The electricity industry comprises four distinct segments that collectively enable electricity to reach you, the consumer. First there’s the generators, which create the electricity. Then there’s Transpower, the organisation that takes that electricity from the generators and delivers it from one end of the country to the other. Transpower hands that electricity over to the distributors – of which there are 29 in around New Zealand, including EA Networks. Ultimately the customer account is with the electricity retailer – they’re the entity the customer deals with directly.

So, if the electricity goes out at your place, the best people to call is your electricity retailer. They in turn let EA Networks know, so they can fix the problem as quickly as possible. In fact, with today’s technologies EA Networks usually know there are faults before you or your retailer do.

For EA Networks, it’s all about delivering that

electricity safely and reliably, and they are constantly monitoring the health of the network to make sure it’s operating appropriately.

Fortunately, outages don’t happen often and when they do, they’re resolved quickly. There is, of course, the odd exception to the rule, such as the big snow storm of 2006, where electricity supply was literally knocked out in parts of the district for several weeks. It was all hands on deck as EA Networks staff worked around the clock to restore that electricity supply as quickly as possible. However, in some cases it inevitably took weeks due purely to the significant workload. Such unusual events can’t be entirely planned for, but fortunately they are few and far between.

EA Networks regularly surveys its consumers to get feedback on performance and related matters. There is a balance between price and quality – and from the feedback EA Networks seem to have struck the right balance.

“Customers tell us that they are very happy with our pricing, which is among the lowest in the country. They also send the clear message that they would not be willing to pay more even if this were to increase reliability beyond what it currently is – so I think we’ve got it about right,” EA Networks’ Commercial Manager Jeremy Adamson said.

Unforeseen events like cars hitting electricity poles can affect electricity supply from time to time, but those incidents should decrease as more and more electricity supply went underground.

Undergrounding is safer, and more aesthetically pleasing. A large proportion of the network is already

underground in urban areas, with pilot programmes being done in other rural areas where poles were ready to be replaced.

Among the places to have already gone underground, which motorists may have noticed, are State Highway One south of Ashburton and the Methven Highway from the end of Racecourse Road to Winchmore. Instead of power poles, the only sign of electricity on the landscape is the occasional green transformer box on the side of the road.

EA Networks regularly liaises with NZTA (New Zealand Transport Agency) as to what work they’re doing – like at Chertsey, where during recent road upgrades underground ducting was put in place to enable undergrounding in the future. That means when undergrounding does occur, the road won’t have to be dug up a second time.

It’s not always a simple case of digging a big hole and burying the wires when undergrounding electricity supply. Where possible, EA Networks uses mole-ploughing technology where a temporary trench is created behind a machine, directly installing cable and duct. This is being used across Mid Canterbury and has worked well thanks to the district’s long, straight roads with grass verges.

“We’re always prepared to have a go at new technology and the board are right in behind us – it’s a very forward focused environment. Eventually, electricity supply will be underground in all urban areas, but in rural areas there will always be some poles. It’s an expensive process, but one with many benefits,” Mr Stirling said. 

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EA Networks’ involvement in the Barrhill Cherstey Irrigation (BCI) scheme’s development has proven

to be a winner for both the company and those who were behind the development from day one.

The BCI scheme is a joint venture between Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Limited, a co-operative company with nearly 200 farmer shareholders from within the Mid Canterbury district, and EA Networks. That joint venture was formed in 2010 when the scheme was built, although consents to take 17 cumecs of water from the Rakaia River and use it for electricity generation and irrigation were first issued in 2001 to Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Limited.

Those behind the scheme have a vision of helping the district to become fully irrigated and self-sufficient in electricity generation in the future, with the future prosperity of the district reliant on a dependable supply of water for irrigation.

BCI General Manager John Wright said Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Limited had a few goes at getting the scheme underway before the joint venture came to fruition, but the investment from EA Networks had been critical in making it a reality, both in terms of their expertise and funding.

BCI is a pipe network across the upper Mid Canterbury plains and in its first year around 65km of pipe went into the ground to deliver valuable water to around 45 customers. It has grown each year and is now around 100km in length and delivers to around 65 customers. All of those customers now benefit through the delivery of pressurised irrigation water.

For EA Networks it was more than a case of putting equity into the scheme, and it’s now receiving a good return on its investment. A driving force behind EA Networks wanting to be involved was a desire to future-proof water infrastructure across the district’s

farming landscape, and that the district kept growing in terms of irrigation.

The BCI Scheme itself is not a big user of electricity, but many of the farms that take water from it are. The Trustpower pump station is a significant electricity consumer.

Water is sourced from the Rakaia River. The BCI Scheme has a contractual arrangement with Trustpower to pump water into the Rangitata Diversion Race (RDR), and an arrangement with RDR to then have that water delivered across the plains into BCI’s own pipe network.

The BCI Scheme is then run by a small, dedicated team, with a joint venture committee overseeing it.

✦ High reliability with the backing of Lake Coleridge Storage

✦ Providing opportunity for land use change

✦ Pressurised water delivered to your boundary

✦ Competitive pricing with low share capital requirement

✦ Now planning Stage Two between Barrhill and Chertsey

BCI irrigation water available in Mid Canterbury

ENQUIRIES TO:John Wright 0274 362 358

[email protected] Brook 0274 224 258

[email protected]

Proudly associated with EA Networks, joint venture partner in the BCI Scheme

16

Ultra-fast broadband is a reality for many in Mid Canterbury who would otherwise be without,

thanks to EA Networks.

Mid Canterbury’s fibre network was primarily developed for EA Networks’ own business needs. The management of the electricity network requires a reliable, robust and high speed communication system for remote control and fault protection. In the past the company used radio for their communication network,

but that was not always reliable and certainly couldn’t support the future needs of the business, including moving toward the smart grid.

During 2008, it was decided that a better solution was needed and fibre communications was chosen as the technology.

Fibre was chosen to connect up the district’s 19 sub-stations, which meant creating two large rings (about

100km each) – one south of the Ashburton River and the other north of the Ashburton River – with a third fibre ring within the Ashburton township itself linking it all together.

Being a community-minded business, EA Networks saw a significant benefit when it became apparent that the network was closely aligned with the location of the district’s schools. EA Networks’ Commercial Manager Jeremy Adamson said it wasn’t a great

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leap to connect up the district’s schools, and it would bring enormous benefits to our educators and school children. So the company made the decision to connect all of the district’s 23 schools and give them access to the best technology for their communication requirements.

If the network didn’t go past a school, they extended the network to a school. All schools were quickly linked to the network free of charge.

Chair of the fibre connected schools association in Mid Canterbury, Hampstead School principal, Peter Melrose, said all 23 of the district’s schools were now connected in what was a unique development, and one that changed the way schools delivered Information Technology.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity given to us by EA Networks, who have worked right alongside us to provide fibre right to our door and free usage,” Mr Melrose said.

“It’s given the children of the district a step up in terms of their ability to connect to the world.”

Although the fibre network was built for EA Networks’ own business needs, Mr Adamson said it made sense to increase its capacity so that others could benefit too.

“The marginal cost of increasing capacity was not significant terms of the overall development, so it made sense to provide the public, particularly the rural sector, with access to this advanced network,” Mr Adamson said.

“Not many places in the world have a rural fibre capability like we now do. This presents a huge opportunity to the rural sector to connect to a

network that was otherwise only available in towns and cities,” he said.

“We believe that everyone should be able to connect to true ultra-fast broadband and we are doing what we can to help make that happen. It’s challenging but we believe it’s worth it.”

It was hoped that in the future that would be the case in Mid Canterbury as the fibre network continued to grow as EA Networks looked to continue future-proofing its electricity network.

With the core fibre network completed, all schools connected, the general public connecting and EA Networks connecting more and more of its own devices, Fibre Network Manager Andy Darrell is now looking at further growth opportunities.

“We’re always looking to grow the network to reach new customers. Each extension needs to be commercially viable, and that requires a combination of low cost deployment and strong demand from potential customers,” Mr Darrell said.

“Our doors are always open and we are keen to discuss opportunities with people interested in getting access to fibre”.

It’s open access, so any ISP (internet service provider) can connect into the fibre network to provide services to customers. EA Networks owns and operates the network and provides access to the providers. It’s those providers that have the ongoing relationship with the customer rather than EA Networks itself.

Mr Adamson said developing a rurally focussed fibre network is expensive and it should be seen as a premium product. Customer feedback has been very positive; no other technology compares to the speed

and performance of fibre and people were beginning to realise just how special it was that Mid Canterbury was leading the way in making fibre available to the rural sector.

Price comparisons are challenging as there are so many variables to consider.

“How can you realistically compare a Porsche to a Mini, or a jet fighter to a top-dresser? We are talking about two different things and it’s important to recognise that with fibre. Whilst it may appear slightly more expensive, the benefits far outweighed alternatives like copper, satellite or wireless internet,” Mr Adamson said.

“By connecting to fibre services, you’re putting yourself in the best position to leverage off the future knowledge economy where high speed communications will be absolutely critical.”

Not everyone can connect yet; at the moment, the fibre network passes around 2500 premises in Mid Canterbury. But more will soon be able to connect with another 9km section extension now about to commence, and more plans in the pipeline.

“Our vision is to provide fibre to the entire district, but it has to stack up commercially,” Mr Adamson said.

The fibre network development has been a successful venture for the company, providing a good return and delivering EA Networks with its own high speed communications network. As it continues to grow, so will its success. 

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For the next 15 years at least, the name EA Networks will be associated with a number of sports in Mid

Canterbury.

That’s because EA Networks supported the development of the sports centre by acquiring the naming rights to the new Riverside sports stadium, for which construction is now underway.

EA Networks has invested $1 million into the stadium and is happy to be associated with a project that will help the sports stars of Mid Canterbury’s future and be a fantastic facility to the wider community.

EA Networks General Manager Gordon Guthrie said the community was given the task of raising $5 million

to contribute towards the stadium, and as the hard-working committee neared that goal, EA Networks brought them even closer.

“They were getting close to that number but still needed a sizeable contribution to help get them across the line. But like all investments, there were certain criteria that had to be met. The stadium ticked the right boxes and met the criteria set largely because it was a project that would benefit the whole community and would deliver wider benefits to the district.

“To celebrate the fact that EA Networks has returned over $50 million of deferred discount to our customer shareholders since becoming a co-operative, we

thought it would be a good thing to get behind. It’s a community asset and we needed to do what we could to ensure that it was built,” Mr Guthrie said.

EA Networks now has a 15-year naming rights agreement with the stadium.

“It is a substantial investment but one that we feel very passionate about; it’s going to be a great facility,” he said.

Work is now under way on the new stadium, located beside the Riverside Industrial Park off River Terrace.