Country Azerbaijan Purpose Power, irrigation Type of dam Embankment, earth-fill Surface area 605 km² Construction began 1945 | Location Mingachevir Status Operational Address Mingecevir, Azerbaijan Create Mingachevir reservoir | |
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Opening date 1953; 64 years ago (1953) | ||
The Mingachevir Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Kura River just north of Mingachevir in Azerbaijan. The dam serves several purposes to include hydroelectric power production and water storage for irrigation. Its power station is the largest hydroelectric-type in the country with an installed capacity of 420 megawatts (560,000 hp). Mingachevir reservoir, behind the dam, supplies water to the Upper Qarabag and Upper Sirvan Channels which help irrigate about 1,000,000 ha (2,500,000 acres) of farmland in the country. The dam was constructed between 1945 and 1953. Its six Francis turbine-generators were overhauled or replaced with 70 megawatts (94,000 hp) sets in 2000. Mingachevir reservoir has a storage capacity of 15.730 cubic kilometres (12,753,000 acre·ft), covering 605 km2 (234 sq mi). The length of the dam is 1,550 metres (5,090 ft), its width is 16 metres (52 ft) and height is 80 m (260 ft).