Tompkins Wake advises on landmark iwi-owned infrastructure project

Monday 8 June, 2026

Tompkins Wake is proud to have supported Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) on all legal aspects of establishing Ruakura Energy as a stand-alone network operation. The matter reflects the firm's ongoing work advising on complex infrastructure and energy projects across the Waikato region, and its long-standing relationship with TGH on the wider development of the Ruakura Superhub.

A first for iwi-owned infrastructure

Ruakura Energy has moved from an embedded network, supported by WEL Networks, to a stand-alone operation with 100% ownership by Tainui Group Holdings (TGH), from its grid connection through to the customer. The network connects directly into the Transpower national grid and transmits electricity to Superhub tenants through a self-owned substation with twin 30MVA transformers and underground cabling.

The first customer to receive supply through the newly enlivened network is the Ruakura Inland Port, jointly owned by TGH and the Port of Tauranga.

TGH believes this is the first time an iwi has established a commercial electricity network of this scale. Standard industry practice is for property developers to outsource network development to an existing lines company. TGH instead pursued full ownership, reflecting an intergenerational approach to the Superhub's development.

Four years in the making

Reaching this point took four years. TGH's original goal was ambitious: rather than rely on an outside lines company, build and own a network robust enough to serve the Superhub's largest tenants, including cold storage operators with demanding, round-the-clock power requirements.

Energy autonomy for the Superhub means its tenants, many with critical infrastructure needs, are less exposed to disruption. Looking ahead, the network is also designed to accommodate solar generation from within the Superhub itself, adding a further layer of supply security as the site grows.

That growth will be substantial. Stage 1 alone covers 120 hectares, with the full Ruakura Superhub programme spanning 610 hectares and more than two decades of development. Demand on the network is expected to rise in step.