Laxapana Dam

Dam in Laxapana, Central Province
06°55′08″N 80°29′22″E / 6.91889°N 80.48944°E / 6.91889; 80.48944PurposePowerStatusOperationalOpening dateApril 1969 (1969-04)Owner(s)Ceylon Electricity BoardDam and spillwaysType of damGravity damImpoundsMaskeliya OyaReservoirCreatesLaxapana ReservoirMaximum length300 m (980 ft)Maximum width130 m (430 ft)Polpitiya Power StationCoordinates06°58′40″N 80°27′24″E / 6.97778°N 80.45667°E / 6.97778; 80.45667Turbines2 × 37.50 MWInstalled capacity75 MW

The Laxapana Dam is a gravity dam built across the Maskeliya Oya, 2.8 km (1.7 mi) downstream of the Laxapana Falls, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka.[1]

Power station and reservoir

The dam creates the Laxapana Reservoir, which is sustained by water from the Kelani River, as well as discharged water from the Old Laxapana Hydroelectric Power Stations and New Laxapana Hydroelectric Power Stations. The Old Laxapana and New Laxapana hydroelectric power stations belongs to the Norton Dam and Canyon Dam respectively, delivered via penstocks.

The combined hydro resource of the Laxapana Reservoir is fed into another penstock to a further 7.8 km (4.8 mi) downstream for utilization of power generation at the Polpitiya Power Station, located at 06°58′40″N 80°27′24″E / 6.97778°N 80.45667°E / 6.97778; 80.45667 (Polpitiya Hydroelectric Power Station). The power station, which is also called as the Samanala Hydroelectric Power Station, consists of two generation units rated at 37.50 MW each, both of which were commissioned in April 1969.[1][2][3]

Upstream view of the Laxapana Dam and Reservoir. The buildings located immediately upstream are the Old Laxapana Power Station (white roof) and the New Laxapana Power Station (blue roof), belonging to the Norton Dam and Canyon Dam, respectively.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "CEB Hydropower Generation". Ceylon Electricity Board. Archived from the original on 18 January 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  2. ^ "CEB Generation Details: Laxapana Complex". Ceylon Electricity Board. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Hydroelectric Power Plants in Sri Lanka". Industcards.com. Retrieved 19 January 2014.


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