Ātiamuri Power Station is a hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the third of eight hydroelectric power stations on the Waikato River. The station can easily be seen from State Highway 1 between Taupō and Tokoroa.

Ātiamuri Power Station is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) downstream of Ōhakuri Power Station, and takes water directly from the larger upstream station. The relatively small storage of Lake Ātiamuri means the timing of Ātiamuri’s generation production is critical, particularly if Ōhakuri is generating at full capacity.

Ātiamuri, like all of the hydroelectric power stations on the Waikato River, is operated by state-owned electricity generator Mercury Energy.^[1]

History

Ātiamuri was the fifth hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River to be built. Construction of the station, as well as Ōhakuri and Waipāpa, was approved by the Government, and construction of the dam and power station began in November 1953. The Government engaged design consultants Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners of London for design of the civil engineering works.^[2]

Most of the workers were housed on-site in the newly created Atiamuri Village, with other workers coming from Mangakino, the base of the constriction of the upper Waikato River hydroelectric stations. The village of Ātiamuri contained 500 homes, a cinema, recreation room, canteen and library.

Construction of Ātiamuri was completed six months ahead of schedule, and the first three turbines and generators were commissioned in November 1958. A fourth turbine and generator was installed later, and commissioned in April 1962.