Contact Energy, one of New Zealand’s leading electricity generators, has announced that its new Tauhara geothermal power station is now operational and supplying renewable energy to the national grid.
The company recently shared a video showcasing the entire construction process of what is set to become the country’s newest and most powerful geothermal plant, as well as one of the largest single shaft geothermal turbine power station in the world.
Tauhara station has successfully completed a crucial 30-day reliability test, running continuously at approximately 152 megawatts (MW). According to the company, this milestone marks a significant step forward in New Zealand’s efforts to decarbonise its energy sector.
Currently, the plant is operating at 130MW as engineers make final adjustments during the commissioning phase.
Once these modifications are complete, Tauhara is expected to reach its full capacity of 152MW, cementing its status as the largest single-shaft geothermal turbine power station globally.
Contact Energy has ambitious plans for the facility, aiming to boost its output even further. The company intends to conduct additional modifications during the first planned outage in October 2025, with the goal of achieving a long-term generation capacity of 174MW.
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