The initial result means Fonterra Brands New Zealand - the co-operative's retail arm - may look to invest further in the technology.
The PCS100 Active Voltage Conditioner installed at the plant by ABB works to protect process control load and is the biggest installed in New Zealand by the firm.
Production lines used at the site are sensitive to voltage sags and short-term outages, which can jeopardise the sterility of the UHT milk and cream being produced.
FBNZ group automation and control manager Peter Williams says there have been five power quality events since the system was installed and the UHT area of the plant managed to maintain operations throughout each one.
Williams says each voltage sag event equates to a potential loss of around $50,000. He says initial forecasts were for the system to pay itself off within 12 to 18 months. He says the three-month return on investment is "pleasing".
"To have that impact on our operating costs is a bonus."
Investment
Williams says plans are in development for potentially installing more power protection systems as part of another FBNZ project.
"I have put the amount of money for those into the budget," he says. "In terms of planning for this project it's been taken into account very early on."
He was unable to provide any specific information about the project, which is still in its early stages.
The Takanini plant underwent an $8 million upgrade in 2010 so it could meet the growing demand for UHT products from South-East Asia and the Pacific.
More than 90 per cent of UHT milk and cream produced at the Takanini facility is exported to international markets.
Due to expanding and upgrading processing and packaging capabilities, the plant now draws 30 to 40 MW of electricity.
Williams says having the PCS100 AVC installed means there is more surety that production targets will be met.
Local work
When ABB installed the protection system at Takanini, the firm said it could open the door for more local contracts.
ABB's Napier-based centre of excellence focuses the bulk of its work on offshore markets and has installed more than 800 MW of equipment globally.
It is currently installing a PCS100 Reactive Power Conditioner at Fonterra's milk powder plant at Pahiatua.
The PCS100 RPC helps to mitigate power quality problems caused by production equipment within a facility.
The Pahiatua site operates from August to June and processes 1.4 million litres of milk each day from farms across northern Hawke's Bay to southern Wairarapa and Wellington, producing 55,000 tonnes of whole milk powder each year.
Fonterra is mid-way through construction of a new $235 million drier at Pahiatua. The project, which includes a new 35 MW gas-fired boiler, will increase the current production capacity by 2.4 million litres in 2016.
