Waipapa Power Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Waipapa Power Station |
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Waipapa Power Station in 2009
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 Location of Waipapa Power Station in New Zealand
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Waikato River |
| Coordinates | 38°17′31″S 175°41′1″E / 38.29194°S 175.68361°E |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1961 |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Waikato River |
| Power station | |
| Name | Waipapa Power Station |
| Operator(s) | Mercury Energy |
| Commission date | 1961 |
| Turbines | 3 Kaplan turbines |
| Installed capacity | 54 MW |
| Annual generation | 330 GWh |
The Waipapa Power Station is a special place that makes electricity using the power of water. It's called a hydroelectric power station. You can find it on the Waikato River in the North Island of New Zealand.
This power station is the sixth one built on the Waikato River. It's also the smallest power station along this river. A company called Mercury Energy runs the Waipapa Power Station. They are in charge of making and selling electricity.
Building Waipapa Power Station
People first thought about building a power station here in 1943. But they didn't decide to start building until 1953. Construction finally began in 1955.
The Waipapa Power Station started making electricity in April 1961. This was a big step for New Zealand's power supply.
Keeping it Running
In 2001, the machines inside the power station were updated. These updates helped the station work better and make electricity more efficiently. This means it could produce power using less effort or resources.
