The ups and downs of the power game

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 50, 25 June 1974, Page 6

The ups and downs of the power game

While the fluctuating level of Lake Taupo continues to hold New Zealand's power situation in the balance, local people are pretty well resigned to the lake's ups and downs. They have been assured by the local Member of Parliament, Mr J. W. i Ridley, that it is unlikely the lake level will drop below 1171 feet. i "It would be impossible i to get sufficient power out if the level dropped further than that," he said recently. Lake Taupo's normal

operating range is 1172 to 1177 feet — but an emergency limit of one foot on either side of this range is still considered an acceptable level. Last January, the lake's inflow was the lowest recorded this century. According to the New Zealand Electricity Department then, system control engineers were forced to turn to Lake Taupo for required energy because thermal generation was reduced and the "flood" inflows expected for the South Island hydro systems did not eventuate. Surrounded by an extremely dry catchment earlier this year, Lake Taupo ran down in no time and remained close to its minirnum operating level. In February, local people

saw one of their major tourist attractions scrapped "until further notice" in the interests of a power hungry country. The twice-daily diversion of water through the Aratiatia Rapids was stopped because of the electricity crisis. The water is being used for power generation at the Aratiatia power station, eight miles below Lake Taupo. Last winter similar action was taken to add about 500,000 units a week to the national grid during the country' s critical electricity shortage. Attractive rock groynes have been built out from the beach and the weed nuisance has been substantially removed. Taupo's image as a tourist centre does not seem to have suffered from the lake level problem. According to the public relations officer, Mr L. J. Bergman, visitors continue to come in record numbers — despite the fact that attractions such as the Aratiatia Rapids, the Wairakei thermal valley, the Rogue Bore and the Craters of the Moon are now all out of action. Mr Bergman has a new slogan — which probably reflects the philosophy of most local people: "If the sun isn't shining in Taupo, it is only because the country needs electricity." When Lake Taupo was near its minirnum generating level earlier this year, some boats had difficulty leaving their moorings in the Taupo boat harbour and the low lake level put some ramps out of action. But there are no untoward problems at the moment, and the Taupo harbour master, Mr P. Petersen, believes that even if the lake dropped to 1171 feet, it would not cause any critical navigational problems. Probably the most inconvenience caused people was the amount of weed and rock exposed by the falling level of Lake Taupo. But individuals, organisations and local bodies in the area have set to and largely cleaned up Taupo's foreshore.