This plan for a nuclear power plant on Kaipara Harbour is from an Auckland Ministry of Works file. In the 1960s it was felt that nuclear power generation would be needed to supply increasing demands for electricity, especially in the Auckland region. In 1966 the Minister of Labour was quoted as saying that the first nuclear power station would be north of Auckland, probably in Kaipara, then a second south of Auckland, which could serve both Auckland and Hamilton. The third station would probably be in central Auckland “from developments overseas we believe that the construction of [nuclear power] stations in the centre of cities within 15 years or so will be acceptable.” When a site had been selected by the Siting Sub-committee of the New Zealand Atomic Energy Committee, the timetable was: call for tenders in 1970, order the plant in 1971, start building in 1972 and start generating in 1977. [BBAO 1054/505/c] However, the site investigation work at Kaipara was closed down in 1971, and New Zealand remained nuclear free.

Archives New Zealand Reference: BBFY 1054 A1179/841/b

Power Generation and Transmission - Power Stations - Nuclear Power Station Kaipara Harbour - general - 1970-1982