Reefton Power Station
Reefton Power Station supplied electricity to the town of Reefton in New Zealand and was the first power station to supply municipal electricity in the Southern Hemisphere.[1] It started operation on 4 August 1888.[2]
| Reefton Power Station | |
|---|---|
 The remains of the Reefton Power Station turbine room as seen in 2008 | |
| |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Reefton |
| Coordinates | 42°7.291′S 171°52.171′E |
| Status | Decommissioned |
| Commission date | 1888 |
| Decommission date | 1949 |
| Owner(s) | 1888 – The Reefton Electrical Transmission of Power and Lighting Company Ltd 1946 – Grey Electric Power Board |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Hydroelectric and steam |
The power station turbine was run by water supplied from the Inangahua River via two tunnels and a headrace flume. After the town was connected to the National Grid in 1949 the power station was decommissioned. The power house was demolished in 1961.[2]
Parts of the original structure remain and are accessible via a walking track,[3] and there are plans for restoration of the site. Stage 1 of this planned restoration was completed on April 11, 2015. This included new signage, riverbank preservation and walking track restoration.
References
- New Zealand Historical Atlas – McKinnon, Malcolm (Editor); David Bateman, 1997, Plate 88
- "Reefton Power Station". Engineering New Zealand. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
- "Reefton short walks" (PDF). Department of Conservation. Retrieved 16 June 2009.