Lake Tekapo is one of the southern hydro lakes that act as a reservoir for power stations along the Waitaki River. In the winter of 2002 lake levels dropped to almost two-thirds of their permitted level. The government, concerned that the national electricity grid would not be able to meet winter demand, ran a campaign asking consumers for a 10% saving in electricity use until the lakes had regained their storage capacity.
Because nearly 60% of New Zealand’s electricity supply comes from water, there is widespread public interest in the state of storage lakes during dry periods, and it is often reported in the news media.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
by Mark Mitchell
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