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Story: Lakes

Tongariro Power Development

Tongariro Power Development

The Tongariro Power Development was an ambitious scheme in the early 1970s. It diverted the headwaters of several rivers through tunnels and canals, so that they flowed through the Tokaanu power station and into Lake Taupō. From there the water flowed though a series of dams along the Waikato River. Protests from the Ngāti Tūwharetoa tribe and from fishermen were largely ignored by successive governments, which were keen to increase electricity generation.

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How to cite this page

Simon Nathan, Lakes – Ownership and control, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/map/11834/tongariro-power-development (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Simon Nathan, published 1 March 2009.

Comments

Che Wilson
11 March 2011
Tena koe Ngati Rangi, the iwi on the Southern Ruapehu (associated to the Wahianoa Aqueduct and Moawhango Dam) and the Whanganui iwi (associated with the Western Diversion) have also been protesting the TPS for decades and in December 2010 agreed to mitigation including to the return of further water.