Karapiro Power Station

Story

The Karapiro Power Station is a hydroelectric power station on Waikato River, in the North Island of New Zealand. The power station lies on Lake Karapiro, a major rowing regatta venue. Karapiro is upstream from the city of Hamilton and is the last of the eight hydroelectric power stations on the Waikato River.Karapiro is a baseload power station, as it is required to maintain water flow in the lower Waikato River even during low inflows to the catchment and during low electricity demand. Only two turbines are required to keep the river flow at a reasonable level, with the third turbine being available for peak generation and maintenance on one of the other turbines.Like all of the hydroelectric power stations on the Waikato River, Karapiro is operated by electricity generator Mercury Energy.HistoryKarapiro was the second power station built in the Waikato hydro scheme. Construction of the dam and power station began in 1940, but a materials and labour shortage due to World War II meant progress was slow. The station was completed in 1947, four years behind schedule.The creation of Lake Karapiro behind the dam flooded the Horahora Power Station, the first power station built on the Waikato River.The bridge over the spillway is the only road access to the turbine hall. The first bridge had a supporting column in the center of the bridge. The bridge was destroyed by the water running through the spillway in a significant flood event (Source: Mighty River Photo archives). The replacement bridge is as you see today with no supporting column.