Karapiro Power Station - Karapiro, Waikato, New Zealand - Water Dams on Waymarking.com

The Karapiro Power Station is a hydroelectric power station on Waikato River. Karapiro is the last of the eight hydroelectric power stations on the Waikato River.

Karapiro is operated by state-owned electricity generator Mighty River Power. It 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.

Karapiro's powerhouse is located on the northern bank of the river, with a diversion tunnel and spillway also on the northern bank. The river is dammed by a concrete arch dam south of the powerhouse, with the electricity substation on the southern bank of the river.

Water from Lake Karapiro runs through the penstocks to three Kaplan turbines. Each turbine turns a generator, outputting 32 megawatts of electricity each at 11,000 volts. Around 3,770 litres (830 imp gal; 1,000 US gal) of water every second is required to run through the turbines to generate 1 MW of electricity.

Karapiro is controlled remotely by Mighty River Power's Waikato River control room in Hamilton.

Waterway where the dam is located: Waikato River/Lake Karapiro Main use of the Water Dam: Hydroelectric Power Production Material used in the structure: Concrete Height of Dam: 52.4 metres Date built: 01/01/1948 Fishing Allowed: yes Motor Sports Allowed: yes

Visit Instructions:
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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/10/2013 Punga and Paua visited it