Karioi mill site eyed for wood-pellet plant
Adellia Hallett, Energy News
21 August 2026
Winstone Pulp International's shut-down Karioi pulp mill could be developed as a wood-pellet plant. The site is about 300 kilometres from the Huntly power station, where Genesis Energy is seeking to run its Rankine units on biomass. Both are on the main-trunk railway line. In documents seeking consent to discharge wastewater into the nearby Whangaehu River, Winstone says it has a potential buyer for the Karioi site. The mill and nearby Tangiwai timber mill closed in 2024 due to sustained increases in electricity costs. In its consent application Winstone says it has been working to find a new operator for the site to revitalise the local community and support the regional economy. It says the potential buyer wants to use the Winstone site and existing infrastructure to produce torrefied solid biofuel from radiata pine.