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NEWS RELEASE
EROSION REPAIR WORK BEGINS NEAR MERCURY’S TAUPŌ CONTROL GATES 29 August 2024 – Mercury is about to begin improvement work on a key part of the Waikato
Hydro System. Regular maintenance checks of Mercury’s Taupō Control Gates showed that while it is still safe for everyday use, changes need to be made to protect it from erosion. The Control Gates are a critical part of the Waikato Hydro System that Mercury operates to generate around 10% of the country’s electricity. The gates also help respond to any risk of drought and flood in the catchment. Mercury’s General Manager of Generation, Stew Hamilton, said the infrastructure is vital for the delivery of electricity to New Zealand. “And as custodians of this asset we’re committed to investing in it, to ensure this 83-year-old piece of equipment continues to operate safely and efficiently for many more years.” The Control Gates are highly visible and a well-known fixture for people travelling in and out of Taupō. The infrastructure has been maintained well by Mercury and others over the years. “But recent inspections show we need to respond to the ongoing erosion taking place on the riverbanks around the Control Gates. “The remediation work programmed for the Control Gates will be done in two stages.” People would have seen Mercury had started some preliminary work at site in August. The main work is between September and December and will involve filling in an erosion spot which has formed downstream from the Control Gates, on the southern side of the river.
Classification: General