Mangahao Power Station
Mangahao Power Station is a hydroelectric power station near the town of Shannon, New Zealand. After being delayed by war, access road construction and foundation testing was started by late 1919 and the station opened in November 1924. It makes use of Mangahao River, through a series of tunnels and pipelines totaling 4.8 kilometers, in the Tararua Ranges. As of 2012, it is jointly owned and operated by Todd Energy and King Country Energy.
When commissioned, Mangahao Power Station was the main power station serving the lower North Island, with transmission lines connecting Mangahao with Wellington, Palmerston North, Whanganui, Masterton, Napier and Hastings. The power station was connected through to the Waikaremoana hydro scheme in 1929 and through to Arapuni Dam in 1934, forming the basis of the North Island transmission grid.
