Aniwhenua Hydro
Aniwhenua is a relatively modern hydro station, built in 1982, with a strong track record of reliable operations. It was opened by the Prime Minister of the time, Rt Hon Sir Robert Muldoon.
Commissioned: 1982
Flow through Station: 75,000 litres per second
Annual Generation: 127 GWh
Aniwhenua Hydro Station alongside the Aniwhenua Falls
Aniwhenua is the middle hydro-scheme out of three located on the Rangitāiki River in the Bay of Plenty, originally built and commissioned by Bay of Plenty Electricity in 1981 and acquired by the Todd Corporation and Nova Energy in 1998. The scheme is 65 km upstream from the river mouth and is a ‘diversion’ scheme with flow conveyed via a 2.2 km concrete-lined canal to the power station.
The dam (barrage) is an earth formed dam with a central concrete control structure. The dam is 10 m high and has a maximum width at the base of 65 m and a total length of 200 m. Spilling from the dam is into the natural Rangitāiki riverbed. The headpond is formed at the end of the canal (the small Pahekeheke Stream also flows into the headpond). There are two penstocks. The penstock pipes are steel, 3.4m in diameter and 75m long, buried beneath compacted ground.
Aniwhenua Hydro Station is currently remotely monitored and controlled by Pioneer Energy Renewables staff, based in Alexandra.