RNZAF Base Ōhakea – Te Whare Toroa

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Te Whare Toroa at RNZAF Base Ōhakea is a 20,000 square metre multipurpose facility for the RNZAF’s P-8A Poseidon fleet. The building is designed with 180% more seismic capacity than a regular city office building and includes back-up power supplies, making it a major national resilience asset.

The Project Challenge
Supporting a fleet of maritime surveillance aircraft requires more than just standard power. The facility serves as a 24/7 operations center, requiring an electrical infrastructure capable of surviving major seismic events and remaining fully operational during a total grid failure.

Our Solution: Full-Site Power Security
We delivered a comprehensive suite of high-capacity boards designed to manage the immense load of a 20,000sqm site:

Main Switchboards (MSBs): Two heavy-duty MSBs acting as the primary energy arteries for the entire complex.
Generator Backup System: A specialised Generator Board designed for full-site backup. This system ensures that in the event of a national emergency or power outage, the base remains 100% operational, allowing the P-8A Poseidon fleet to continue its vital surveillance missions without interruption.
Hangar & Distribution Boards: Two dedicated Hangar Boards and an extensive array of Distribution Boards (DBs) to power maintenance bays, simulation rooms, and support offices.

Project Outcomes
Massive Scale: One of the largest and most complex infrastructure builds for Excel Switchgear to date.
Resilience-First Design: Engineered to meet the 180% seismic capacity requirements of the facility.
Mission-Ready: Providing the RNZAF with the reliability needed to protect New Zealand’s maritime interests.

Thanks to our partners who brought this project to life; B&M Electrical Ltd.