23 March 2026
Government ministers were out in force in Kawerau as Conservation Minister Tama Potaka cut the ribbon on Cool-Safe’s new refrigerant destruction facility while Minister of Trade and Investment Todd McClay inaugurated Eastland Generation’s TOPP2 geothermal power plant.
“Eastland Generation and Cool-Safe are helping cement Kawerau’s position as a centre for sustainable energy and kaitiaki taiao | environmental stewardship,” said the Mayor of Kawerau Her Worship Faylene Tunui.
Eastland’s TOPP2 development contributes 49MW of baseload generation to the grid. Tangata Whenua owned company Ngāti Tūwharetoa Geothermal Assets, supplies the sustainable steam that TOPP2 generates into electricity.
“Eastland Generation’s partnership with Ngāti Tūwharetoa Geothermal Assets demonstrates the promise and potential of commercial developments where iwi are side-by-side. Our iwi-owned company provides the steam, and Eastland Generation converts it to electricity for New Zealand.”
“Access to reliable and affordable electricity helps power and protect Kawerau’s role as a leading environmentally conscious industrial hub,” said Mayor Tunui.
In 2025 Kawerau District Council adopted a regional economic development plan alongside Whakatāne District Council and Ōpōtiki District Council. The plan’s ambition was to position Kawerau as a leading centre for clean energy generation, emissions reduction, and value-add manufacturing.
To unlock this potential as a leading centre for clean energy, emissions reduction, and value-add manufacturing, the Council secured an exemption to the government’s “district plan stop” as part of the Resource Management Act reforms. With this exemption Council is pursuing a District Plan change to rezone rural land into industrial land.
“Cool-Safe’s refrigerant destruction facility brings world-leading technology to Kawerau. Their plasma arc technology safely disposes of “F-gases” from fridges, heat pumps, and other sources. This contribution made in Kawerau helps New Zealand Inc meet its international obligations to reduce emissions,” said Mayor Tunui.
Cool-Safe’s facility is capable of removing 1.5m tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per annum – the equivalent impact of taking approximately 600,000 cars or all the cars of the Canterbury region off the roads each year.
Cool-Safe’s new plasma arc technology isn’t just a New Zealand first – it’s a first for the southern hemisphere and the geothermal energy arena is a highly specialised field that needs government support to unlock national, regional, and local potential. Our dream in Kawerau is to prepare the next generation of world leading specialist engineers, IT experts, and taiao/environmental protectors who’ll keep generating new “firsts”’ right here at home”.
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