Kaptai Dam

Kaptai Dam is on the Karnaphuli River at Kaptai, upstream from Chittagong in Rangamati District, Bangladesh. It is an earth-fill embankment dam with a reservoir water storage capacity of 6477e6m3. The primary purpose of the dam and reservoir was to generate hydroelectric power. Construction was completed in 1962. The generators in the Karnafuli Hydroelectric Power Station were commissioned between 1962 and 1988. It is the only hydroelectric power station in Bangladesh.HistoryA brief reconnaissance occurred in 1906 when the Karnafuli Hydropower Station was first contemplated. A second study was carried out in 1923. In 1946, E. A. Moore recommended the proposed project at Barkal about 65 kilometres upstream of present dam site at Kaptai. In 1950, the Marz Rendal Vatten Consulting Engineers suggested a site at Chilardak, about 45 kilometres upstream of Kaptai.In 1951, the government engineers proposed Chitmoram, downstream of the present site. Under the guidance of then chief engineer (Irrigation) Khwaja Azimuddin, the construction site was chosen in 1951. Utah International Inc. was selected as construction contractor. Construction of the dam started in 1957.ConstructionStarting in 1957, the initial phase of the construction was completed in 1962. By this time the dam, spillway, penstock and two 40 MW Kaplan turbine generators were built in the power station. In August 1982 a 50 MW generator was commissioned. In October 1988 the fourth and fifth generating units, both 50 MW Kaplan-type turbines, were installed which raised the total generation capacity to 230 MW.