Some South Canterbury farmers are abandoning their protest and will let Transpower onto their land to upgrade power pylons this week.

The national grid operator needs access to the farms to upgrade the line that supplies much of the power to Christchurch and says it has a legal right to enter properties to do maintenance.

Farmers want compensation for having the pylons on their land, which they say cost them about $5,000 a year.

Transpower tried to complete the upgrade two weeks ago, but the farmers took advantage of their legal right to delay it for a fortnight.

However, farmer Miles Anderson says he will let Transpower on his property on Thursday as legally, he can’t lock them out.

Mr. Anderson says farmers are still negotiating with Transpower and hope that an agreement can be reached.