Ohaaki Power Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ohaaki Power Station |
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Waikato |
| Coordinates | 38°31′37″S 176°17′31″E / 38.52694°S 176.29194°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 1989 |
| Owner(s) | Contact Energy |
The Ohaaki Power Station is a special place in New Zealand. It uses heat from deep inside the Earth to make electricity. This type of power is called geothermal energy. The station is owned by a company called Contact Energy.
A very unique part of this power station is its huge cooling tower. It stands 105 meters (about 344 feet) tall! This is the only tower of its kind in all of New Zealand. It helps cool down the water used to make electricity.
When it was first built, the station could make 104 MW of power. But over time, the amount of steam from underground has gone down. Now, it usually makes about 65 MW. Each year, it produces around 400 GWh of electricity. That's enough to power many homes!
Contents
How Ohaaki Power Station Works
The Ohaaki Power Station uses three large machines called turbines to make electricity. One smaller turbine uses high-pressure steam. This steam then helps power the two main turbines.
The Cooling Process
After the steam spins the turbines, it needs to be cooled down. This is where the big cooling tower comes in! The tower sends cool water to special parts called condensers. These condensers turn the steam back into water. Any extra water collected is then put back into the ground. This helps keep the underground water levels healthy.
Working with the Environment
In 2013, the Waikato Regional Council gave the power station special permission. This permission, called a resource consent, lasts for 35 years. It allows the station to take 40,000 tonnes of geothermal fluid from the ground each day. This consent helps make sure the power station operates safely and responsibly.
The Ohaaki Marae and the Power Station
The Ohaaki Power Station is built next to the Ohaaki Marae. A marae is a special meeting place for Māori people. This marae belongs to the Ngāti Tahu tribe and is located by the Waikato River.
Impact on the Marae
Over the years, the marae area has been slowly sinking. This sinking is thought to be caused by the power station taking water from underground. The ground under the marae sinks about 170 millimeters (about 6.7 inches) each year.
A History of Moving
This isn't the first time the Ohaaki Marae has had to move. In the 1960s, the marae was moved to its current spot. This happened because its old location was flooded. The flooding was caused by the building of the Ohakuri Power Station dam.
