McKay was engaged as the head contractor to deliver the cable landing station at the Bream Tail Farm site, taking responsibility for all civil, building, and electrical work. The project also included the design and construction of the systems required to ensure continuous operation, including uninterruptible power supplies, standby generation, and heating and ventilation systems supporting mission-critical equipment.
In addition to the landing station itself, the project required the installation of approximately 1.8 kilometres of onshore fibre-optic cabling to connect the submarine cable to the existing network. This was achieved using ducted installation methods, allowing the cable to be laid with minimal surface disturbance and a reduced environmental impact.
The completed facility houses the full range of systems required to maintain uninterrupted service, including terminal and power feed equipment for the submarine cable, customer connection equipment, multiple standby generators, AC and DC uninterruptible power systems, electrical distribution infrastructure, HVAC, fire protection systems with gas suppression for critical rooms, lightning protection, access control and CCTV, roof leak detection, feature lighting, and a customised building management system. McKay Group company MGE designed, manufactured, and supplied the main switchboard and AC distribution panels, which were fully integrated with the building management system.
McKay provided project management from conception through to construction, alongside full electrical design and delivery. An integrated design team, led by McKay and its civil partner, Hawthorn Geddes, worked collaboratively across the electrical, civil, architectural, mechanical, control, automation, and fire protection disciplines to deliver a functional, safe, and fit-for-purpose facility. McKay was responsible for sourcing, installing, and commissioning all electrical distribution and control systems in line with the client’s specifications.
The project was delivered with no lost-time injuries – a significant achievement across approximately 17,000 man-hours of work, and a reflection of the strong focus on health and safety management. The facility was delivered as a complete turnkey solution. The project was notable because the electrical contractor acted as the head contractor, demonstrating McKay’s capability to lead complex, multidisciplinary infrastructure builds.
This project has contributed to economic growth in Northland and across the wider Pacific region, delivering an additional 43 terabits of international data capacity. It stands as a testament to McKay’s long-standing experience, technical leadership, and trusted partnerships formed over decades of delivering critical infrastructure.
