The Benmore Dam is the largest earth-filled water-retaining structure in New Zealand.
| – | Dam core is impermeable, clay like gravel supported by two massive shoulders of river gravel. |
| – | The dam is the largest earth-filled water-retaining structure in New Zealand. |
| – | It has a volume of 12.5 million cubic metres which is about 1.5 times as much water as Wellington Harbour. |
| – | The spillway can cope with 3,400 cubic metres of water per second, about 10 times the mean river flow. |
| – | Construction began in 1958. |
| – | The station was commissioned in 1965. |
| – | Southern end of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link which joins the North and South Island electricity Systems. |
Key statistics
– Lake Benmore area: about 75 square kilometres
– Dam crest length: 823 metres
– Dam crest height: 110 metres
– Nominal annual generation: 2,200 GWh
– Installed capacity: 540 MW