Poihipi Power Station facts for kids

The Poihipi Power Station is a special kind of power plant in New Zealand. It uses heat from deep inside the Earth to make electricity. This type of energy is called geothermal energy. The power station is owned and run by a company called Contact Energy. You can find it on Poihipi Road, close to the town of Taupō.

How Poihipi Power Station Makes Power

The Poihipi Power Station uses natural heat from the Earth. This heat comes from hot rocks and water deep underground. This is known as geothermal energy. It's a clean and renewable way to make electricity.

Geothermal Energy Explained

Geothermal energy comes from the Greek words "geo" (Earth) and "therme" (heat). So, it means "Earth heat." Deep inside our planet, it's very hot. This heat can warm up water that is trapped in rocks.

When this water gets hot enough, it turns into steam. This steam can then be used to create power. It's like a giant natural boiler under the ground.

Using Steam for Electricity

The Poihipi Power Station gets its steam from the Wairakei geothermal system. This system is a large area where hot steam and water come up from the Earth. The power station uses this steam to spin large machines called turbines.

When the turbines spin, they are connected to generators. These generators then create electricity. This electricity is sent out to homes and businesses.

Power Output and Operation

The Poihipi Power Station can produce about 350 GWh each year. GWh stands for Gigawatt-hours. This is a way to measure a very large amount of electricity. It's enough power for many homes.

The power station started making electricity in 1996. It works as part of the bigger Wairakei geothermal system. This means it shares the underground steam resources with other power plants in the area.

Electricity Generation at Poihipi, New Zealand.