Kōrero: Hydroelectricity

During and after the Second World War power restrictions were commonplace, and the government made the building of hydroelectric stations a high priority. Roxburgh power station was New Zealand’s largest at the time. Construction of the scheme was plagued with difficulties, including a shortage of labour. The site is shown here lit up for night work. Once the Roxburgh station was commissioned in 1956, power restrictions in the South Island were lifted.