16 gates of Kaptai Hydropower Plant opened as water crosses danger level

Sixteen spillway gates of the Kaptai Hydropower Plant have been opened this morning as the water crossed the danger level due to slopes coming down from the upstream.

Each of the gates have been opened by six feet at 8:10 in the morning for which 9000 cusec water are being released per second to the Karnaphuli River, ATM Abduzzaher, manager of Kaptai Hydropower Plant, told BSS.

The gates were scheduled to open at 10pm on Saturday but it was delayed, he added.

He said the water level of Kaptai Lake has been increasing for the last couple of days due to hill slopes coming down from the upstream.

The water level of Kaptai Lake crossed 108 feet mean sea level (MSL) on Saturday night.

As the water level of the lake had reached 108.32 ft of MSL which marked crossing the danger level, 16 gates were opened at six feet height this morning at the advice of the lake management committee.

The highest water holding capacity of the Kaptai Lake is 109ft MSL, said Abduzzaher.

He said that 33000 cusec more water is being released per second to generate electricity in five units of the Kaptai Hydropower Plant.

A total of 220MW of power was generated this (Sunday) morning from the five units, he informed.

Respective officials informed that it is possible to produce 230MW to 240MW of electricity from the five units every day which is distributed to the nation grid. (BSS)