Karāpiro Power Station
The Karāpiro Power Station is a hydroelectric power station at Karapiro on the Waikato River, in the North Island of New Zealand. The power station lies on Lake Karapiro, a major rowing regatta venue. Karāpiro is 30 kilometres (19 mi) south-east and upstream from the city of Hamilton and approx. 9 kilometres from Cambridge. It is the last of the eight hydroelectric power stations on the Waikato River.
| Karāpiro Power Station | |
|---|---|
Part of the Karāpiro Dam | |
Location of Karāpiro Power Station in New Zealand | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Near Cambridge, Waikato |
| Coordinates | 37°55′26″S 175°32′21″E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1940 |
| Opening date | May 1948 |
| Owner(s) | Mercury Energy |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Arch dam |
| Impounds | Waikato River |
| Height | 52.4 m (172 ft) |
| Length | 335 m (1,099 ft) |
| Width (crest) | 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) |
| Width (base) | 15.2 m (50 ft) |
| Spillways | Four |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Karapiro |
| Surface area | 7.7 km2 (3.0 sq mi) |
| Maximum water depth | 30.5 m (100 ft) |
| Type | Conventional |
| Hydraulic head | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Turbines | 3 × Kaplan |
| Installed capacity | 90 MW |
| Annual generation | 525 GWh |
Karāpiro 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 during maintenance on either of the other turbines.
Like all of the hydroelectric power stations on the Waikato River, Karāpiro is operated by electricity generator Mercury Energy.