Mangahao Power Station marks century of power generation in New Zealand

Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden, King Country Energy chief executive Chris Fincham and Heemi Te Peeti from Ngāti Whakatere.

A local power station has turned 100.

On Friday, November 29, community leaders, staff and guests were welcomed in a mihi whakatau led by Ngāti Whakatere hapū, Muaūpoko iwi, and tamariki from Shannon School for the Shannon-based Mangahao Power Station celebration.

Speaking at the celebration event, King Country Energy general manager Chris Fincham said Mangahao Power Station has had a series of owners through the years, but owners is probably the wrong word; it is more custodians.

“It is the people who have worked on the scheme that have kept it going for the last 100 years. These people are passionate and, in some cases, obsessed with what they do and only want to see the scheme doing its best. The care they have provided has kept it going for 100 years and we intend to see the scheme run for 100 more.”

The Mangahao Power Station was officially opened by Prime Minister William Massey on November 3, 1924. It features three storage dams, two tunnels, and a series of penstocks.

The Mangahao Power Station had its 100th birthday celebration at the end of November.

It generates 120GWh annually from its main power station, with an additional 8GWh produced by the mini-hydro station completed in 2004.

Spanning 86sq km, the scheme benefits from high annual rainfall and draws its headwaters from the Mangahao River, a major tributary of the Manawatū River.

King Country Energy board member and Manawa Energy generation general manager Todd Mead said the event marked a significant milestone in Mangahao Power Station’s history.

“This occasion is not only a tribute to the engineering marvel that has harnessed the power of water to generate electricity for generations but also a celebration of human endeavour, innovation, resilience, and community spirit.”

The celebration also featured a speech from King Country Energy’s Phil Wiltshire and the unveiling of the refreshed Mangahao Information Board by Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden.

The event was also attended by the King Country Trust, Suze Redmayne, MP for Rangitīkei, and descendants of Joseph Bernie Butler and Alfred Maxwell who tragically passed away during the construction of the scheme.

An image of the Mangahao Power Station's opening in 1924.

King Country Energy also used the occasion to announce the Mangahao Next Generation Scholarship, a one-off programme providing up to $5000 to support young people connected to the Mangahao, Tokomaru, or Mangaore rivers in pursuing tertiary training, including university, apprenticeships, or polytechnic programmes.

“We are thrilled to support the next generation of leaders and innovators through this scholarship programme,” said Chris Fincham.

“This initiative not only honours the legacy of the Mangahao scheme but also invests in the future of our community.”

Details of the scholarship programme are on the company’s website.