The Tuapeka Project is situated on the Clutha River, South Island, New Zealand

The Clutha runs to the sea, emerging just south of the town of Balclutha

Some thirty years ago the then Electricity Department of New Zealand, which was responsible for instigating new generation for the supply of electricity to New Zealand, mooted the idea of a large dam on the Clutha at Tuapeka Mouth, just south of the town of Beaumont, and at the end of a large valley and gorge which is well resourced with farmland and orchards. The reservoir would be three times the size of the Wellington Harbour. It would inundate some 3000 hectares of land and forest. The generation would be 350 megawatts, equivalent to about 8 percent of New Zealand's total average annual usage. Or about the same as the electricity lost in transmission across the Cook Strait cables to New Zealand's North Island. There are three cables. The South Island sends half its total electricity output to the North Island, mainly through the day. The hydro reservoirs are replenished at night-time during which the South Island imports sufficient electricity from the North Island to suit its needs. It is base load electricity.

New Zealand has had a long history of hydro electricity development, with many fast-flowing rivers available for generation. The Ministry of Works had acquired great expertise in building dams and for many years no thought was given to any other kind of generation apart from geothermal power, in the Rotorua area of the North Island.

Because electricity projections for demand were miscalculated in the 1970's and 1980's, and large scale industries planned to use the electricity never came to fruition, the Clyde dam was the last one built (commenced 1977 - completed 1994) until electricity planners stepped up plans for a large dam at Tuapeka Mouth.

Objections to the plans began as soon as the idea was suggested in 1965. Environmental concerns started to grip people's thinking throughout the world, and the value of good producing farm land was realised in an expanding world population. Inhabitants of the area numbered only in the hundreds. Mainly sheep farming with horticulture in Millers Flat and Beaumont. Apples, apricots, cherries, pears grew well in the mild climate, in sheltered valleys. The area was a prime food basket.

However the Electricity Department held sway. Politicians bent to the departments' wishes because they were frightened by the threats of 'blackouts' due to a shortage of power. What follows is a description of the plans and effects of such a dam on the Clutha River and New Zealand. Then, a chronology of events to the present day.

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