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Aratiatia
Aratiatia Rapids with opened spill gates
Country	New Zealand
Location	near Taupō
Coordinates	38°36′57″S 176°8′33″E / 38.61583°S 176.14250°E / -38.61583; 176.14250
Status	Operational
Opening date	1964
Owner(s)	Mercury Energy
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Waikato River
Reservoir
Surface area	55 ha (140-acre)
Power Station
Operator(s)	Mercury Energy
Type	Run-of-the-river
Turbines	3× Francis
Installed capacity	78 MW (105,000 hp)
Annual generation	331 GWh (1,190 TJ)

Aratiatia Power Station is a hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the first hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River, and is located 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) downstream of Lake Taupō. Aratiatia is owned and operated by Mercury Energy.

Aratiatia is a largely run-of-the-river station, as it generates electricity from water from the Lake Taupō control gates and to the Ōhakuri Power Station. It does, however, have a 55-hectare (140-acre) lake behind the station for temporary storage.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "pegged ladder" for Aratiatia.

Aratiatia Rapids

Before construction of the dam and hydro station, the Aratiatia Rapids were a prominent feature on the Waikato River; a scenic reserve from 1906. The dam construction meant that no water flowed over the rapids. However, several times a day, the Aratiatia dam gates of the Waikato River are opened, which restores the rapids to their normal operation. There are several public lookout points on the high rock bluffs that dominate this turbulent stretch of Aratiatia Rapids.

See also

• Electricity sector in New Zealand
• Hydroelectric power in New Zealand

References

1. ^ "Hydro Stations". Mercury.
2. "Aratiatia". Mighty River Power. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011.
3. "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.
4. "Our picturesque heritage: 100 years" (PDF). Department of Conservation. 2003.
5. "About the Aratiatia Rapids". Destination Great Lake Taupo. Archived from the original on 2013-12-15. Retrieved 2013-12-11.

Further reading

• Martin, John E, ed. (1991). People, Power and Power Stations: Electric Power Generation in New Zealand 1880 - 1990. Wellington: Bridget Williams Books Ltd and Electricity Corporation of New Zealand. pp. 316 pages. ISBN 0-908912-16-1.

External links

• Mighty River Power - Aratiatia photos
• Hydro Generation - Mercury Website

v t e Electricity generation in the Waikato Region
Operating power stations	Coal Huntly 1-4 (co-fires) Gas Huntly 1-4 (co-fires) Huntly 5-6 Te Rapa cogeneration Geothermal Mokai Nga Awa Purua Ngatamariki Ohaaki Poihipi Rotokawa Te Huka Te Mihi Wairakei Hydroelectric Arapuni Aratiatia Atiamuri Karapiro Mangaio Maraetai Ohakuri Rangipo Tokaanu Waipapa Whakamaru Wind Te Uku Proposed Hauauru ma raki Tauhara
Decommissioned stations	Horahora (hydro) Meremere (coal)
Companies	Contact Energy Genesis Energy Mercury Energy Meridian Energy

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