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Story: Waikato region

Waikato hydroelectric power stations

The potential of the Waikato River for hydroelectricity generation was exploited from the early 20th century, but particularly from the 1940s. By 1970 there were eight dams on the river between Lake Taupō and Karāpiro, near Cambridge.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Waikato region – Energy and forestry, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/27148/waikato-hydroelectric-power-stations (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 26 May 2010, updated 1 July 2015.