The first turbine rotation process has commenced at the Yusufeli Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) in Türkiye’s Artvin province, marking a significant milestone in the wet tests for electricity generation. This announcement was made by Türkiye’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Ibrahim Yumaklı, on his official social media account.
The Yusufeli Dam stands as the tallest dam in Türkiye, boasting a height of 275 meters (902 feet) and securing its position as the fifth tallest dam globally. With an installed capacity of 558 megawatts, the facility is projected to generate an average of 1.9 billion kilowatt-hours of energy annually. These impressive figures are expected to contribute an additional value of TL 6 billion ($222,280 million) per year to the Turkish economy.
One of the greatest advantages of the Yusufeli Dam is its ability to regulate the flow regime of the Çoruh River, ensuring optimal downstream dam efficiency. It is anticipated that this dam will also enhance the production capacities of other nearby dams, including Artvin, Deriner, Borçka, and Muratlı.
The commissioning of the Yusufeli Dam and HPP will lead to a 2% increase in Türkiye’s hydroelectric energy production capacity. Its energy generation capacity alone is sufficient to meet the power needs of 2.5 million residences or 750,000 Togg cars, which are Türkiye’s first domestically-produced fully electric vehicles.
As of September 15th, the dam has reached a water level of 699.12 meters, with a water height of 195.62 meters and a stored water volume of 1.697 billion cubic meters. Unit 3 has successfully completed the first turbine rotation process for electricity generation. Wet tests for Units 1 and 2 will be conducted in the near future.
This significant progress moves Türkiye closer to harnessing electricity from one of the tallest dams in the world, marking a remarkable milestone in the country’s pursuit of renewable energy sources.
Definitions:
– Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP): A power plant that generates electricity through the use of flowing or falling water.
– Installed capacity: The maximum electric output an electricity generating unit or system can provide.
– Kilowatt-hour (kWh): A unit of energy equivalent to one kilowatt of power expended for one hour.
– Domestic: Produced or made within one’s own country.
– Cubic meters (m³): A unit of volume measurement in the metric system, equal to the volume of a cube with edges of one meter in length.
Sources: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Anadolu Agency