All 16 Kaptai dam sluice gates to be opened at 10pm

The Kaptai Hydropower Plant authorities are set to open all 16 sluice gates, propelled by the continuous rise in water levels in the Kaptai Lake in Rangamati due to persistent rain.

The decision taken on Saturday is aimed to avoid any unforeseen situations.

However, authorities have urged people not to panic over the release of the water as this is not expected to affect the water levels of the Karnaphuli River or the low-lying areas. However, the water level in Halda River might see minimal impact.

Plant Manager ATM Abduzzaher said that water will be released through the 16 gates of the spillway at a rate of 6 inches per second from 10pm today.

A staggering 9,000 cusecs of water will be discharged through the sluice gates and fall into the nearby Karnaphuli river every second, he said.

The amount of water being released may be increased depending on the situation, the plant manager added.

The water level of Rangamati’s Kaptai Lake had reached 106.06 feet mean sea level as of Friday noon and its full water capacity is 109 feet meters above sea level (MSL).

At 3pm on Saturday, the water level in Kaptai Lake was 107.66 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL).

The power generation project was inaugurated in early 1962, with two of its three planned generators putting 80 MW of electricity into the national power grid.

The third generator of 50 MW started power generation in January 1982. A feasibility study revealed that the reservoir had a 25% higher capacity than what was originally computed.  The operating data also revealed a higher value of inflow than had initially been calculated.

In order to exploit this additional potential, two more generators having 50 MW capacity each was installed in 1988.  The power available from this dam has accelerated the establishment and expansion of industries in Bangladesh and has resulted in an appreciable saving in foreign exchange required for the import of manufactured goods.

The power generated also permits pumping of water to achieve widespread irrigation and drainage.