Kawerau Geothermal Power Plant

In November 2008, Hawkins staff joined partners Sumitomo Corporation and Fuji Electric Systems for the official opening of Mighty River Power’s Kawerau geothermal power station – the largest geothermal power project to be undertaken in New Zealand for some twenty years and the fastest ever built.

The project comprised design, construction and management. At the heart of the project was the construction of a 2000m² power house, the equivalent of an eleven storey building, nine metres of which were below ground.

At the opening, Mighty River Power CEO Doug Heffernan congratulated the team on achieving the ‘Triple Crown’: completion six weeks ahead of schedule, under budget and producing higher than specified power output.