It lies downstream of lakes Aviemore and Benmore on the Waitaki River, close to the town of Kurow.

It is part of the traditional boundary of the Canterbury and Otago regions (although the official border has been moved southward to include the entire lake, as well as the entire northwest portion of the Waitaki District within the Canterbury Region.

The Waitaki power station has a total installed capacity of 105MW.

Waitaki was the last dam built in New Zealand with excavation done with pick and shovel, not heavy machinery.

[2] The power station was to be upgraded by Meridian Energy between 2011 and 2016 at a projected cost of $NZ 60 – 80 million.