Kainji Dam

Kainji Dam be a dam across de Niger River insyd Niger State of Central Nigeria. Construction of de dam by Impregilo (a consortium of Italian civil engineering contractors) begin insyd 1964 wey na dem plete am insyd 1968. Ein total cost be estimated at US$209 million (equivalent to about US$1.5billion insyd 2024 dollars), wey one-quarter of dis amount dem use to resettle people wey de construction of de dam den ein reservoir displace, de Kainji Lake. Dimensions Kainji Dam dey extend for about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), wey dey include ein saddle dam, wich dey close off a tributary valley. De primary section across de outflow to de Niger be 550 metres (1,800 ft). Most of de structure be made from earth, buh de centre section, wey dey house de hydroelectric turbines, na dem build from concrete. Dis section be 65 metres (213 ft) high. Kanji Dam be one of de longest dams insyd de world. Power station Na dem design de dam make e get a generating capacity of 960 megawatts (1,290,000 hp); however, only 8 of ein 12 turbines be installed, wey dey reduce de capacity to 760 megawatts (1,020,000 hp). De dam dey generate electricity for all de large cities insyd Nigeria. Na dem sell sam of de electricity to de neighbouring country of Niger. In addition, occasional droughts make de Niger ein water flow unpredictable, wey dey diminish de dam ein electrical output. Lock De dam get one single-lock chamber wey fit lift barges 49 metres (161 ft) high. Discharge flooding Insyd October 1998, in response to upstream flooding, na dem release a torrent of water from de dam, wey dey burst de river banks. Nearly 60 villages be flooded. Domestic animals drown den dikes as well as several farms be washed away. Dem criticize dam officials for waiting too long before starting den then dumping too much water. Lake Kainji Kainji Lake dey measure about 135 kilometres (84 mi) long den about 30 kilometres (19 mi) at ein widest point, den dey support irrigation den a local fishing industry. Insyd 1999, uncoordinated opening of floodgates lead to local flooding of about 60 villages. References External links