POWERING UP AOTEAROA
Lake Coleridge Power Station
Lake Coleridge was the first major hydro power plant to open and is credited with establishing the country's commitment to renewable hydro energy.
Opened in 1915 it was built to supply electricity to Christchurch and high users of power from the new station included tramways, the freezing works, and the dairies and butter factories.
The Christchurch tramway had already been electrified, being fed by power generated in four steam turbines, and the switchover to power from Coleridge led to a saving of 2,000 pounds per year in electricity costs.