Raetihi Power Station back in service

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 28, 13 December 1983, Page 1

Raetihi Power Station back in service

A helicopter from Wanganui Aero Works was used last week to carry concrete by the hopper-load into the Raetihi Power Station site where a new 110 metre penstock had been positioned. The new penstock — a 21 inch (525 mm) diameter pipe used to carry water from the reservoir above to the power station below — replaces one that has been in place since 1930. After 53 years of continuous use leaks had developed and it was decided to replace it rather than attempt further repairs. The estimated cost of replacement was $35,000 and most of the work was carried out by staff of the Wanganui/ Rangitikei Power Board. The job, which started at the beginning of November, has taken just over a month to complete and it is expected that the power station will be fully operational by the time this edition of the Bulletin is published.said Raetihi area supervisor, Mr Ross Journeaux last week. The penstock that was removed was the second one of its kind to provide a head of water for the turbines below. The original power station was built in 1917 with a capacity of 48 kilowatts from a single turbine. A second machine was installed in 1920 with an additional 48kw capacity. These two machines were sufficient at that time to meet Raetihi's electrical needs but as the town grew so did the demand for power. In 1926 a third and larger machine was a 250kw capacity with installed and this meant that a much larger area — including part of Ohakune — could be supplied with the surplus power generated. At that time Ohakune had a very

small power station of it's own situated in Mangawhero Terrace where the present KCEPB depot is. When the Ohakune power station closed down in 1940 Raetihi's surplus power supplied the whole of Ohakune until both Raetihi and Ohakune were linked info the national grid in the late 1950's. To service and maintain the earlier penstocks staff had to climb 699 steps from power station to dam. An access road was built in the 1940's.