Online Desk : Authorities will open 16 spillway gates of the Kaptai Hydroelectric Power Plant on Saturday night as the water level in Kaptai Lake nears the danger level. The gates will be opened by six inches from 10 PM to release water and manage flooding in upstream and downstream areas, said Kaptai Hydroelectric Power Plant Manager Engineer Mahmud Hasan.
At 2 PM on Saturday, the lake’s water level was recorded at 105.64 feet mean sea level (MSL), while its maximum holding capacity is 109 feet MSL. Initially, around 9,000 cusecs of water per second will be released through the 16 spillway gates. Meanwhile, all five generating units of the Kaptai Hydroelectric Power Plant are operating, releasing around 32,000 cusecs of water per second for power generation.
Authorities are closely monitoring the lake’s water level, rainfall and inflow from upstream areas, Mahmud Hasan said. The timing of the spillway opening and the volume of water released may be changed or increased depending on rainfall and upstream inflow, he added.