Kamal Khan Dam
Kamal Khan Dam (Persian: بند کمال خان,Pashto: کمال خان بند) is a hydroelectric and irrigation dam project on the Helmand River in Chahar Burjak District of Nimruz Province in south-western Afghanistan. It is located about 95 km to the southeast of Zaranj. Construction work on the dam officially began in 1974 but after the 1978 Saur Revolution, the Americans involved in the construction were compelled to leave Afghanistan and the project was abandoned. It was recently completed.
| Kamal Khan dam | |
|---|---|
Location of Kamal Khan dam in Afghanistan | |
| Official name | بند کمال خان |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Location | Chahar Burjak District, Nimruz Province |
| Coordinates | 30.323984°N 61.88337730°E |
| Purpose | Irrigation and Hydroelectricity |
| Status | Completed |
| Construction began | 1974 |
| Opening date | 24 March 2021 |
| Construction cost | $78-85 million |
| Owner(s) | Ministry of Energy and Water |
| Operator(s) | National Water Affairs Regulation Authority |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Gravity |
| Impounds | Helmand River |
| Height | 16 m |
| Length | 2.274Km main dam |
| Elevation at crest | 532 |
| Width (crest) | 9m (changing) |
| Width (base) | 90m (changing) |
| Spillway type | Ogee |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 52 million cubic meters |
| Annual generation | 9 GWh |
The hydroelectric plant produces 9 MW of electric power in addition to providing irrigation to about 175,000 hectares (430,000 acres) of agricultural land. Its reservoir has the capacity to store up to 52 million cubic meters of fresh water.
Kamal Khan Dam is managed by Afghanistan's National Water Affairs Regulation Authority (NWARA), which is under the Ministry of Energy and Water. Work on the 3rd phase of the dam began on 19 April 2017 by President Ashraf Ghani and members of his administration. The Iranian government often request from the Afghan government the releases more water toward Iran.
Kamal Khan Dam was inaugurated by President Ashraf Ghani on 24 March 2021.