The upper level of Station A at Wairakei geothermal power station houses the 4 low pressure turbines, numbered G7 to G10. The steam turbine of Generator 10 is being reassembled after maintenance. The turbine shaft is visible in the middle right and its cover is slung beneath the crane in the upper distance. Twenty minutes later it was in place. The lower part of the image looks down on the condenser which is painted green. The white line around the turbine shaft is a sealant - Image: Heurisko Ltd, click to enlarge.

Welcome to this education resource about geothermal energy and electricity production.

These pages have been produced by Heurisko Ltd for New Zealand students of Science and Physics at years 9-13.

Note: All images in this section click to enlarge.

• Introduction to Wairakei
• History of the Wairakei Borefield
• Geology
• Dry Steam, Wet Steam, Water and Ice
• The Dissolved Compounds
• Borefield Equipment
• Water Discharge and Re-injection
• Steam Turbines
• Electrical Generators
• Wairakei Turbines and Generators
• The National Grid
• Transformers
• Switching High Voltages
• Three-Phase Electricity
• Glossary

To take a field trip to a New Zealand power station please visit the LEARNZ website at www.learnz.org.nz.

A virtual field trip to the Wairakei Power Plant in the Taupo Volcanic Zone is available for New Zealand schools and is scheduled for 1-3 March 2006. More details may be found at www.learnz.org.nz.