Ōhau C

Ōhau C
Ōhau C
Country	New Zealand
Location	Canterbury
Coordinates	44°20′31″S 170°10′56″E / 44.34194°S 170.18222°E
Status	Operational
Commission date	1985
Owner	Meridian Energy
Operator	Meridian Energy;
Thermal power station
Primary fuel	Hydroelectric
Power generation
Units operational	4
Nameplate capacity	212 MW (284,000 hp)
External links
Commons	Related media on Commons
	[edit on Wikidata]

Ōhau C is a hydroelectric power station in the Mackenzie Basin, Canterbury, New Zealand. Operated by Meridian Energy, it is one of the three Ōhau stations in the Upper Waitaki hydro scheme.^[1] It is a twin station to Ōhau B, and receives water that has already passed through Ōhau B from Lake Ruataniwha, before discharging into Lake Benmore.^[1]^[2]

History and construction

Construction of Ōhau C began in 1979 and the station became fully operational in 1985.^[1]^[3] It was the last hydro station built on the Waitaki scheme, completing the scheme 56 years after construction began on the Waitaki dam and power station in 1928.^[1]^[4]

The Upper Waitaki hydro scheme comprises the three Ōhau stations, the two Tekapo stations, two dams and six canals. Its development also created Lake Ruataniwha, the newest lake in the Waitaki Basin.^[1]^[3]

Description

Ōhau C has four 53-megawatt generating units with a total installed capacity of 212 MW.^[1] Like Ōhau B, it uses similar equipment and has the same generating capacity; the 2025 WSP hydro-schemes report states that each of the twin stations produces approximately 958 GWh annually.^[1]^[3]