Kaplong Hydroelectric Project (Kalpong Dam) is the largest dam of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Built across the Kalpong River at Nabagram Diglipur in the North and Middle Andaman district the dam was completed in 2001 and commissioned on 1 September 2001 by Shri M. Kannappan the Minister of State for Non-Conventional Energy Sources. The dam was executed by NHPC and run by Electricity Department of Andaman & Nicobar Administration was commissioned 15 months ahead of schedule.
It is a Rock-Fill and Concrete Gravity dam with an storage capacity of 15,270,000 m3 (12,380 acre·ft) and having a reservoir area of 1,.84 Km2 (455 acres). The length of Concrete dam on left fork is 138 m (452.7 ft) and the height is 34 m (103 ft) while length of Rockfill Dam on right fork is 146 m (479 ft) and the height is 27 m (88.5 ft).
Kalpong Hydroelectric Project has an installed capacity of 5.25 MW of electricity. It is the only hydro-electric project in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The project is expected to generate 14.83 million units of electricity annually for the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands notably for the residence of Diglipur and its nearby towns. The production cost of electricity from the Kalpong project is merely Rs. 1.89 per unit at the time of commissioning.
Technical Features Particulars Details Catchment Area Left Fork 10.7 km2 Right Fork 4.56 Km2 Maximum Water Level (MWL) EL-209.40 m Full Reservoir Level (FRL) EL-206.80 m Maximum Draw Down Level (MDDL) EL-192.00 m Capacity at FRL EL-1527 Ha.m (0.02 Km3) Length of Link Channel 300.00 m Bed Level of Channel EL-196.oo m Intake Approach Channel 257.00 m Intake Tunnel 2m x 2m D-Shaped Length of Tunnel 127.00 m Dykes 3 Nos Diameter of Main Penstock 1200 mm Length of Main Penstock 650.00 m Design Discharge 4.05 Cumecs Power House Dimensions 31.5m x 13.5m x 10.0m Installed Capacity 3 x Francis Turbine 1750 KW each Firm Power 1430 KW NRLD No. AN15HH0002
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See also List of dams and reservoirs in Andaman and Nicobar Islands Kalpong River
References