The Mingachevir Dam (Mingachevir Hydro Power Station) is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Kura River just north of Mingachevir in Azerbaijan. It serves several purposes, including hydroelectric power production and water storage for irrigation.[1] The 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. Its six Francis turbine-generators were overhauled or replaced with 70 megawatts (94,000 hp) sets in 2000.[2] 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).[3] It is the largest hydroelectric power station in the South Caucasus, and is located on Kura river, not far from Mingachevir city.

Mingachevir Dam
Mingachevir Dam is located in Azerbaijan
Mingachevir Dam
Location of Mingachevir Dam in Azerbaijan
CountryAzerbaijan
LocationMingachevir
Coordinates40°47′24″N 47°1′42″E / 40.79000°N 47.02833°E / 40.79000; 47.02833
PurposePower, irrigation
StatusOperational
Construction began1945
Opening date10.01.1954; 2013 years ago (10.01.1954)
Dam and spillways
Type of damEmbankment, earth-fill
ImpoundsKura River
Height80 m (260 ft)
Length1,550 m (5,090 ft)
Reservoir
CreatesMingachevir reservoir
Total capacity15.730 km3 (12,753,000 acre⋅ft)
Active capacity9 km3 (7,300,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface area605 km2 (234 sq mi)
Maximum length70 km (43 mi)
Operator(s)Azerenerji
Commission date1953/2000
TypeConventional
Hydraulic head65 m (213 ft)
Turbines6 x 70 MW Francis-type
Installed capacity420 MW (560,000 hp)

History

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The construction of the station started in 1945, the first hydro aggregate was put into operation in 1953. The main turbines were originally from the Japanese-built Fengman Hydropower Station in Manchukuo (now Northeast China), captured by the Red Army during the invasion of Manchuria in 1945.[4] In 1954, the station was put into operation with full capacity.

A large number of people came from different regions of Azerbaijan due to the installation of Mingachevir hydroelectric power station. In total 20,000 people took part in the construction of the power station. Approximately 10,000 German prisoners of war were involved in the installation towards the end of the 1940s. [5]

President Aliyev participated in the ceremony of commissioning of Mingachevir hydroelectric power station after reconstruction on February 27, 2018. All hydro generators and hydro turbines of the station were replaced with new ones within the framework of the reconstruction. As a result, the production capacity of the power station was increased from 284 MW to 424 MW. [5]

Technical parameters

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The capacity of the Mingachevir HPP is 359 MW which has 6 hydroaggregates. Average annual electric power production is 1.4 billion kWh.

Water intersection includes concrete dam consisting of 3 holes (width of 30 m with an open channel), water intake facility to pressured water pipes consisting of 6 holes (length of 66 m), dam of land (Length 1550 m, height 80 m), device with 1 hole that intakes water to Upper Garabagh and Upper Shirvan canal. [6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Energy production". AzerEnerji. Archived from the original on 19 January 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Hydroelectric Plants in the CIS - other countries". IndustCards. Archived from the original on 19 July 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Azerenerji Hydropower Optimization Project" (PDF). United Nations CDM. p. 4. Retrieved 12 March 2015.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Sautin, Yevgen (2020-10-28). China's Last Warlord: Gao Gang and The Northeast People's Government (1948-1954) (PhD thesis). University of Cambridge.
  5. ^ a b Official web-site of President of Azerbaijan Republic. "Ilham Aliyev launched newly-renovated Mingachevir Hydroelectric Power Station". en.president.az. Archived from the original on 2018-03-04. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  6. ^ "Mingachevir Dam" (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
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