Science Centres: Energy

Lake Tekapo

Spring and summer are the usual fill-up seasons for the Southern Alps hydroelectric reservoirs, with Lakes Pukaki and Tekapo representing 55% of the country’s hydropower storage. The third largest hydro-storage lake (Lake Taupo) relies more on winter rainfall recharge.

NIWA is predicting normal rainfall in the Southern Alps for November-January, but normal to slightly-below-normal river flows into the Southern Alps' hydroelectric storage due to less spring-summer snowmelt from the recent poor snow season. This is a concern because the storage lakes are currently at relatively low levels and in normal summers nearly half of the Pukaki and Tekapo inflows come from snowmelt. On this basis, we expect hydro lake storage could be below normal over the next three months.

It’s too early to predict lake levels for next winter, six months away, but it could pay to start preparing for the cooler weather. There are some good deals on energy efficient light bulbs and innovative schemes for funding low emission home heating.

• November-January climate outlook: www.niwascience.co.nz/ncc/cu/2005-11/
• Hydro-inflow data: www.comitfree.co.nz
• Environment Canterbury’s low emission home heating scheme: www.cleanheat.org.nz
• Consumers' Institute test of compact fluorescent lights: www.consumer.org.nz
• Compact fluorescent lights subsidy scheme, Canterbury, sponsored by the Electricity Commission, Orion, and Meridian Energy: www.ecobulb.com/nz