Taupo Hydro-EIectricity Scheme

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 16, 30 April 1952, Page 4

Taupo Hydro-EIectricity Scheme

PROGRESS AT HATEPE A visit to the Taupo hydro-elec-tricity project on the Hine Maiaia Stream at Hatepe was undertaken last week by representatives of the Taupo Times, in response to an invitation extended by the chairman of the Town Board, Mr J. Story, who accompanied them on their tour of inspection. Compared with the appearance of the scene a few months ago considerable progress has been made. "W ith th'e exception of two gaps to he filled in shortly, the spillway wall has been completed from bank to bank of the ravine at the dam site. One gap is over the stream itself, and to complete the wall at this point it is necessary, as in all schemes involving the damming of waterways, to divert the stream. This part of the work is well under way. Concrete walls and a diversion tunnel devised by using one of the big penstock pipes liave been installed. This will enable the remainder of the current to be diverted, and the main channel completely blocked. On the opposite side t]*e concrete work for the forebay, where the water will enter the penstock tunnel en-rout-' to the turbines, has heen completed and everything is in readiness to instal the pipe sections forming the tunnel as soon as the dam and spill-way are finished. From the forebay to the powerhouse site is a fall of 105 feet, and this, with the head of water1 available in the lake to be formed by damming the stream should prove adequate for the generation of the energy needed. for the supply of electricity to Taupo. At the stream end of the access road to the site a new roadway, diverted from the existing track, will bc made to carry traffic to the powerhouse when the dam is closed and the lake formed. - This passes over the stream by a concrete bridge below the arch of which will be located the power-house. The bridge is nearing completition and the road work will follow. On present indications there is a fair prospect of current being switched on by the end of July next. Mueb depends upon the weather. Paradoxically what is needed is a dry spel! before the dam is finished, to enable Ihe stream to be completely diverted before being blocked up, and plenty of rain after, to fill the lake, Mr Story told his visitors that the cables reticulation and high tenskm are now on the water enroute to No 3, and the generating plant will soon be available also. It is intended to instal a unit of 160 kilowatts persding the arrival of the larger unit of 600 kilowatts capacity. The 16$unit will be adequate for the supply, for all purposes, of current to establishments. The larger unit will be equal to the service of 6,000. This sounds promising, but the real test will come when everything is iiBished, linked up, and the switch-Iever pulled.