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A resource for New Zealand Science and Physics students.
The
Western Borefield currently provides 50% of the steam used to generate
Wairakei's electricity. Image: Heurisko Ltd.
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The Wairakei Power Station is
owned and operated by Contact Energy Limited.
Contact Energy produce 25% of NZ's electricity.
The station is an important national generator
of electricity. The crown owns the geothermal
resource itself. The power station is situated
7km North of Taupo township, and is of particular
interest because it:
- was the first geothermal plant in the
world to use very hot water as the source
of steam used to drive the turbines
- produces 1550 GWH of electricity per annum,
which is enough to supply Taupo, Rotorua,
Napier and Hamilton
- produces 4.3% of NZ's electricity production
- is an important 'base load' station
- has run at better than 90% of maximum
output since the 1960's
- has an efficiency
of converting heat energy to electrical
energy of 37%, which is comparable to newer
geothermal plants around the world. (Some
of this efficiency is due to the use of
the very cold Waikato River water in the
condensers.)
Summary |
Area of steam field |
25 sq km |
Production wells |
54 |
Re-injection wells |
9 |
Monitor wells or unused wells |
70 |
Average depth of wells |
600 m |
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