About Aviemore

Aviemore generates enough electricity each year for about 120,000 average New Zealand homes.

The Aviemore generators are the largest in New Zealand. The rotors are nearly 8 metres in diameter and weigh 210 tonnes.

The dam itself is made in two parts: an earth dam and a concrete dam. It is the biggest dam of this type in New Zealand, and is the second largest concrete dam – the largest being the Clyde dam.

The Waitaki hydro scheme

Aviemore was the fourth hydro station to be built on the Waitaki hydro scheme.

The Waitaki hydro scheme is made up of eight hydro stations on the Waitaki River in the South Island.

Meridian owns and operates six of the hydro stations, located from Lake Pukaki to Waitaki.

Find out more about the Waitaki hydro scheme »

Building Aviemore

Government approval to build the Aviemore dam and hydro station was granted in October 1962.

The first concrete for the dam was placed in August 1964 – the largest single pour of concrete took three days. Two shifts of more than 40 men toiled to raise the dam from foundation level to an impressive height of 58 metres. 

Aviemore dam has the largest penstocks in New Zealand – an impressive 7 metres in diameter. (A penstock is the pipe that carries the water into the power station.)