Mokau

King Country Energy's new 9.6MW hydro generation station planned for the Mokau River will provide a range of benefits for the company, shareholders, our customers and the region.

Situated around 4.3km downstream of the existing King Country Energy Wairere Falls Power Station on the upper Mokau River, the proposed site of the scheme is on private property and is not visible from the road. The project includes the construction of a 44m high earth dam that will be 160m across at its widest point. When full, the storage lake created behind the dam will have a surface area of approximately 50ha and provide around 3.5km of flat water suitable for recreational use.

This project will increase King Country Energy's generation to around 75% of our customer requirements, decreasing the company's and customers reliance on other electricity generators.

In addition to benefits for King Country Energy and our customers, distributed generation (smaller local power stations) such as the proposed Mokau Hydro Electric project (and our existing local hydro stations) also provide a range of national benefits. These include additional security of supply, lower transmission losses and a reduced need for costly transmission capacity upgrades or new transmission lines to transport electricity between regions.

River impact

The affected section of the Mokau River flows through private farmland and is difficult to access. The area of the proposed dam and resulting lake cannot be seen from any public land and is currently used by very few people.

There will be no effects upstream of the storage lake and downstream effects towards the Mokau River mouth would be negligible with only small fluctuations in water flows likely to be observed.

Below the proposed dam, the Mangaotaki River contributes the majority of the Mokau's flow. As the Mangaotaki joins the Mokau downstream from the proposed site, water flow from the Mangaotaki River will minimise any impact of variation in river levels caused by the new scheme. Specific peak and minimum flow rate restrictions are also likely to be set during the resource consent process.

King Country Energy has commissioned independent studies of the potential impact of the scheme on aquatic life in the river both above and below the scheme. These studies have shown the impact on aquatic life will be minimal.

Recreational asset

The lake resulting from the proposed scheme would provide approximately three and a half kilometres of flat water suitable for recreation activities. The proposal includes public access to this lake, providing a valuable recreational asset for the region. The new lake will be freely available for non-motorised water sports such as rowing, kayaking and waka racing and it should provide an ideal training ground for local teams or individuals.

Regeneration of vegetation and the planting of substantial areas of native plants on the surrounding public access reserve will provide additional scenic value that will further enhance the lake as a recreational area.

The proximity of the proposed new lake to towns in the northern King Country will mean additional facilities on our doorstep. Schools have expressed particular interest in having such an asset readily available.


Station statistics

Peak output: 9.6MW
Lake length: 4.3km
Peak generation water flow: 28 cumecs
Average river flow: 14 cumecs
Lake surface area: 50 ha

For further enquiries contact:
Chris Fincham, Energy Supply Manager

Phone: 0800 523 637
Fax: 07 895 7208