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Story: Geothermal energy

Bore discharging wet steam

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Bore discharging wet steam

New Zealand geothermal fields produce wet steam – a mixture of steam and hot water. This bore at Rotokawa is being tested, its water producing a small rain shower.

Turbines in a geothermal power station need dry steam, so New Zealand engineers had to invent a way to separate steam and hot water when they designed the Wairākei power station.

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GNS Science

Reference: CN28590/44

by Lloyd Homer

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Carol Stewart, Geothermal energy – Geothermal power production, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/5429/bore-discharging-wet-steam (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Carol Stewart, published 2 March 2009.