A MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 rescue helicopter helped Powernet ground contractors string powerlines near Storer Rd on the Kaitangata Highway last week.
The airborne method had been in use for about 15 years, a Powernet spokeswoman said.
A full spool of wire weighs 350kg and the 6km connection of the Stirling and Kaitangata electrical substations, which would have taken 10 days to do manually from the ground, took just three days with the helicopter.
“PowerNet’s core business is to provide a safe, efficient and reliable electricity supply to southern communities,” the spokeswoman said.
The new lines replace 76-year-old copper cables which would all be recycled.
REPORT & PHOTOS: NICK BROOK
