Tekapo B Hydro Power Station

The South Island of New Zealand has a network of lakes and canals for the storage and movement of water for the generation of hydroelectricity.

Tekapo B station (shown above) was commissioned in 1977 and is located at the end of a 26.4 kilometre-long canal which takes wayter fron Lake Tekapo. It was built on dry land and was surrounded by water after the Pukaki High Dam was built. About two-thirds of of the powerhouse foundation is now below the water level. There is a 147 metre height difference between canal and Lake Pukaki and it takes a bath full of water to pass through its turbines to generate enough power to boil a kettle.

Nominal annual generation: 800 GWh
Installed capacity: 160 MW