Country New Zealand Status Operational Nameplate capacity 25 MW | Location Northland Commission date 1998, 2008 Owner Top Energy | |
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The Ngawha geothermal field is a geothermal area in the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated approximately 5 km east of Kaikohe and is centred on the village of Ngawha Springs. The field covers an area of around 25 km² and as such, is much smaller than the only other geothermal field in New Zealand, the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The hot springs arising in this area are slightly acidic and are rich in ammonia, bicarbonate, boron and mercury, which is not typical of other springs in New Zealand.
Ngawha Power Station
The Ngawha geothermal power station opened in 1998 with a generating capacity of about 8MW. The Ngawha Power Station was the first power station to come into operation via a resource consent applied for and issued under the Resource Management Act 1991. The plant is owned and operated by Top Energy, and utilises a binary cycle manufactured by Ormat Industries.
In 2008, the plant was expanded, increasing the capacity to 25MW and allowing the power station to provide 70% of Northland's electricity. In 2015, consents were granted for expansion with a further 50MW of generation.