Cherie HowieReporter·NZ Herald·17 Jun, 2026 10:37 PM4 mins to read‌National grid operator Transpower is planning a $1.1b upgrade to the Cook Strait cables connecting electricity between the North and South Islands.A $1.1 billion upgrade is on the way for the Cook Strait cable after the Commerce Commission agreed to Transpower’s investment plans for the vital electricity link.

The project will replace the existing three undersea cables nearing the end of their 40-year lifespan, add a fourth to allow higher power