The Turkwel Hydroelectric Power Station, also Turkwel Dam, is an
arch dam
An arch dam is a concrete dam that is curved upstream in plan. The arch dam is designed so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, causing the arch to straighten slightly and strengthe ...
on the
Turkwel River
The Turkwel River (sometimes spelled Turkwell River) is a river flowing from Mount Elgon on the border of Kenya and Uganda to Lake Turkana. The river is called the Suam River from its source to the border at West Pokot County of Kenya. The name ...
about north of
Kapenguria
Kapenguria is a town lying north east of Kitale on the A1 road in Kenya. Kapenguria is capital of the West Pokot County. Kapenguria forms a municipality with an urban population of 13,000 and a total population of 56,000 (1999 census).
Kapenguria ...
in
West Pokot County
West Pokot County is a county of Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Kapenguria. The county covers an area of approximately 9,169.4 square kilometers and stretches a distance of 132 kilometers from North to South. West Pokot County is bordere ...
,
Kenya
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. The dam serves several purposes to include
hydroelectric power production,
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been devel ...
tourism and
fisheries. It was constructed between 1986 and 1991. It supports the third largest hydroelectric power plant in the country, having an installed electric capacity of .
The dam, Kenya's tallest, has a height of , crest length of 150 m, dam volume of and retains a water volume of . The power station is
located underground downstream and contains two 56 MW
Francis turbine-generators. The difference in elevation between the reservoir and power station afford a net
hydraulic head of .
See also
*
List of power stations in Kenya
The following page lists power stations in Kenya.
Geothermal
Hydroelectric
Fossil fuels: oil, coal, and gas
Wind
Solar
See also
* Energy in Kenya
* List of largest power stations in the world
* List of power stations in A ...
*
List of hydropower stations in Africa
This is a list of articles listing power stations around the world by countries or regions. A power station (also referred to as a generating station, power plant, powerhouse or generating plant) is an industrial place for the generation of electr ...
References
External links
*{{Structurae , id = 20009251 , title = Turkwel Dam , accessdate =
Energy infrastructure completed in 1991
Hydroelectric power stations in Kenya
West Pokot County
Arch dams
Dams completed in 1991
Underground power stations
1991 establishments in Kenya
Dams in Kenya