Last year, the maximum water level in the dam lake was 832.33 meters and the minimum water level was 823.74 meters.

This year’s fertile rains became the lifeline of the dam lake, which approached 3.74 meters to the 820-meter elevation, which is the critical threshold in terms of electrical energy production, due to the drought.

As of the first half of May, the water level in the dam lake, where the water level rose to 836.3 meters, continues to rise with the torrential rains continuing in the region and the waters coming from the rivers feeding the Keban Dam Lake basin.

Keban Dam and HEPP Operations Manager Bekir Kaya said that the hydroelectric power plant, which has been providing uninterrupted service to the Turkish economy for 48 years with the water it stores in the Keban Dam Lake, passed a critical threshold last year due to the drought that was effective throughout the country.


“We are planning to produce more than last year’s production”

Stating that the water level in the dam lake decreased to 823.74 meters last year due to drought, Kaya said:


“Because the water level in the lake approached the maximum elevation in 2019, we had to release the water from the weirs. We experienced some uneasiness because the water level gradually decreased in 2020-21-22. Thank God, our lake elevation has reached 836.3 meters after the last rains. I hope “


To date, it has produced 281 billion 219 million 421 thousand 850 kilowatt-hours of energy.

Kaya stated that Keban Dam Lake is Turkey’s third largest lake with a length of 125 kilometers and a surface area of ​​680 square kilometers, and the second largest artificial lake after Atatürk Dam.

Noting that the lake is fed by water from Murat, Munzur, Perisu and Karasu rivers, Kaya said, “Keban Dam and HEPP produced 3 billion 875 million 120 thousand 500 kilowatt-hours of energy in 2022. Since its establishment, it has produced 281 billion 219 million 421 thousand 850 kilowatt-hours of energy. Hopefully, in 2023, we aim to produce more than last year’s production,” he said.


“It makes a great economic contribution in terms of energy and agricultural production”

Kaya pointed out that last year’s drought across the country once again revealed the importance of water in terms of energy and agricultural production, and that in this respect, more efficient use of water and energy resources is important in terms of reducing the effects of drought to some extent.

Emphasizing that dams are the lifeblood of the country in terms of energy production and the continuation of agricultural activities, Kaya continued as follows:


“There are also trout production farms in the Keban Dam basin. With the private sector initiative, Turkey’s largest trout facilities are located in the Euphrates River basin. The trout produced here are both consumed domestically and exported to certain countries of the world. Keban Dam provides energy and agricultural production to our province and our country. It makes a huge economic contribution.”


The power plant was renewed with local and national facilities.

Kaya stated that because the mechanical and electrical systems of the power plant, which was built with the technology of the 1970s, got tired over time and did not meet today’s needs, a rehabilitation project was carried out by the Electricity Production Joint Stock Company (EÜAŞ) and TÜBİTAK MAM Energy Institute with the support of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.

Noting that the mechanical and electronic systems of the power plant were renewed with domestic and national facilities with the rehabilitation work, Kaya said, “The rehabilitation of our first 5 units has been completed, the remaining 3 units are continuing. With the rehabilitation, we equipped our power plant with today’s technology. At the same time, our units, which we have difficulty in operating at installed power, operate at higher powers, up to 180 megawatts. We made it up.” used the phrases.

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