Kaplong Hydroelectric Project

Kalpong Dam
Kalpong Dam
Location of Kalpong Dam in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Official nameKalpong Hydro Electric Project
CountryIndia
LocationAndaman and Nicobar Islands
Coordinates13°09′16″N 92°58′02″E / 13.15444°N 92.96722°E / 13.15444; 92.96722
StatusOperational
Opening date2001
OwnerNHPC
Dam and spillways
Type of damLeft Fork- Concrete Gravity dam, Right Fork - Rock-Fill
ImpoundsKalpong River
HeightConcrete Dam 34 m (112 ft), Rock-fill Dam 27 m (89 ft)
LengthConcrete Dam 138 m (453 ft), Rock-fill Dam 146 m (479 ft)
Spillway typeGate controlled
Spillway capacity4.05 Cumec
Reservoir
Total capacity0.02 km3 (16,000 acre⋅ft)
Power Station
Commission date2001
TypePumped-storage
Turbines3 x Francis turbines
Installed capacity5.25 MW (7,040 hp)
Annual generation14.83 MU
Website
https://vidyut.andaman.gov.in/

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.