Water Pump Puzzle

Lore & Background

The scheme was constructed under the terms of the North Wales Hydro Electric Power Act 1973. The project – begun in 1974 and taking ten years to complete at a cost of £425 million – was the largest civil engineering contract ever awarded by the UK government at the time. The work was undertaken by an Alfred McAlpine / Brand / Zschokke consortium. Twelve million tonnes of rock had to be moved from inside the mountain, creating tunnels wide enough for two lorries to pass comfortably and an enormous cavern 51 m tall, 180 m long, and 23 m wide known as 'the concert hall'. The power station is connected to the National Grid substation at Pentir by 400 kV cables that are buried for approximately 10 km, rather than using transmission towers or pylons across an area of outstanding natural beauty.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the flooded chamber was thick with the scent of stagnant water and decay. Lara crouched on a narrow ledge, her flashlight beam cutting through the gloom to reveal a rusted iron wheel protruding from the stone wall. Below, the water churned against the base of a massive sluice gate. She could hear the distant hum of a generator, long forgotten by time but still pulsing with residual energy. With a deep breath, she climbed down, her boots slipping on the mossy stones, and gripped the cold metal of the pump's crank.

Reader's Guide

To solve a Water Pump Puzzle, players must first locate the main control mechanism, often a large wheel or lever situated near the water source or blocked entrance. In many instances, the pump requires power; players must find nearby generators or fuse boxes to restore electricity before the mechanism can be operated. Once powered, interact with the primary valve to begin draining or filling the chamber. If the puzzle involves multiple pumps, they often need to be activated in a specific sequence to balance pressure or align water levels correctly. Players may need to navigate flooded areas using swimming mechanics or find alternative routes to reach secondary controls hidden behind breakable walls. Finally, ensure all connected mechanisms are aligned. The visual cue for success is usually the water level dropping completely or rising to expose a new path, accompanied by the sound of grinding gears and rushing liquid.

Did You Know?

• The Dinorwig Power Station can supply a maximum power of 1,728 MW and has a storage capacity of around 9.1 GWh.
• The power station is located deep inside the mountain Elidir Fawr, inside tunnels and caverns, to preserve the natural beauty of Snowdonia National Park.
• The project took ten years to complete at a cost of £425 million, making it the largest civil engineering contract ever awarded by the UK government at the time.
• From standstill, a single 450-tonne generator can synchronise and achieve full load in approximately 75 seconds.
• The power station is connected to the National Grid by 400 kV cables buried for approximately 10 km to avoid transmission towers across an area of outstanding natural beauty.