New Zealand state-owned electricity generator Mighty River Power is about to proceed with plans to build a 132MW geothermal power station at Rotokawa near Taupo. A final decision is yet to be made and depends on contracts to buy the equipment for the station.

 

The plant will cost $450 million and take about 2½ years to build which gives an expected completion date of sometime in 2010-11. It will be the second power station at Rotokawa. A workforce of up to 250 will be on site during its construction and 12 permanent staff will run the power station once it becomes operational.

Mighty River Power chief executive says it will begin generating from a $300m, 90MW geothermal station at Kawerau before the end of this year.

The New Zealand government is preparing to introduce a carbon emissions trading scheme and has set a target of 90% of electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2025.

Latest News : 6 March, 2008

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