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Kajaki Hydro
Electric Plant
The American built plant on the Helmand River was
commissioned in 1975. The design capacity of the civil works is 51,6
MW. 2 x 16,5 MW vertical Francis American turbines were installed.
The transmission line from this station to the substation has been
rehabilitated, and supplies are being provided to Kandahar and
Helmand. Since the plant has not been serviced since 1979 and the
power transformers need servicing, the estimated cost for
rehabilitation is US$ 10 million. If the third turbine were also to
be installed, the total cost would be about US$ 35 million.
Currently, 14 x 0,85 MW diesel gen sets are being leased with USAID
funding until the rehabilitation is completed. Kajaki operates even
year-round although the water flow is highly seasonal.
Table showing
Seasonality of Hydrology at Kajaki
There is a transmission line from Kajaki to a junction going
to Kandahar. The 74 km, transmission voltage 110 kV using ACSR
conductor size 397 mm lost 100% of the conductor in 1990 and 27
towers needed to be rehabilitated. The line has been repaired and is
now operational.
Kajaki also provides irrigation water to extensive
agricultural lands in the Helmand River Valley downstream from the
existing Kajakai Dam The generation of additional hydroelectric
energy at the Kajakai Hydro Power Plant facilities.
Provision of water for both potable and industrial use to numerous
communities situated in the Helmand River Valley downstream from the
Kajakai Dam. The reduction of flooding on the Helmand River
and mitigation of consequential damage to hydraulic structures
constructed on downstream river reaches serving vital irrigation
facilities
Standing 100 meters (320 feet) in height, spanning 270 meters
(887 feet) in length and having a present storage capacity of 1.2
billion cubic meters of water, the Kajakai Dam creates the largest
multi-purpose reservoir in the country. Irrigation water demands as
initially envisioned were to serve 142,000 hectares, or some 285,000
acres, of existing downstream agricultural area.
Several years after the completion of the Kajakai Dam, the US
Bureau of Reclamation coordinated the overall implementation of
Kajakai’s downstream irrigation facilities. The Bureau’s team of
experts was in residence over a two and one-half year period. This
intense support was undertaken in an effort to facilitate
establishing agricultural productivity known to be inherent from the
Helmand River reclaimed command areas. For decades after, water
discharging from Kajakai has traversed some 300 miles of downstream
irrigation canals feeding essential farmland.
In 1975, USAID commissioned the initial installation
of two 16.5 MW generating units in a powerhouse constructed at the
toe of the dam. This first stage powerhouse was actually constructed
to house three equally sized units. In October, 2002, USAID, along
with international donors including the World Bank, the Japanese and
Canadian Governments, the UN and European Union, agreed to undertake
a national irrigation and power rehabilitation program. This
National Priority Program was aimed at restoration of water supply
for local communities, rehabilitating irrigation systems for
farmlands and providing sufficient electrical power for residents,
industries and commerce by harnessing water from various rivers for
the power plant. Increased water and power supply will enable the
country to expand irrigated farmlands and develop industrial parks,
creating jobs for all Afghans.
Today, USAID is currently funding the procurement and
installation of the missing third unit which will have slightly
higher output than the other two existing units. USAID is also
funding the rehabilitation of the existing two units which had
deteriorated extensively in their service capability
during the intervening period of civil unrest which persisted from
approximately 1979, the year the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan,
until 2002. Upon completion of both the rehabilitation of the
existing units and the installation of the third, the power plant
will have a combined output of approximately 51 MW. USAID is also
completing the installation of the service spillway radial gates and
the emergency spillway.
Rehabilitation Project Activities
The current power plant refurbishments comprise the
rehabilitation of the two existing units; know as Units 1 and 3, and
the design and installation of a new 18.5 MW Unit
2. Prior to implementing the spillway gates, a three fold
feasibility study has been done, comprising the social and
environmental assessment of the reservoir area known as the Helmand
Water Balance Study, and a technical analysis of the service and
emergency spillways, including the installation of the eight service
spillways.
USAID, in October 2003, funded a condition assessment of the
two existing hydro-electric generating units. It was determined that
the turbines at the plant were unreliable, making them virtually
inoperable.
Additionally, the original design concept for the project
contemplated heightening of the reservoir an additional 11 meters.
Reservoir heightening was to be achieved through the simple
installation of radial gates in a currently un gated spillway
channel. This heightening would increase active reservoir storage
volume from an estimated 1.7 billion cubic meters, to approximately
3.0 billion cubic meters. A radial gate construction program was
begun in 1976 but was aborted in 1979, at the time of the Soviet
invasion. A consignment of radial gate components was actually
fabricated and shipped to the site pursuant to this construction
program.
Rehabilitation of Unit 1 Turbine
Reservoir heightening would enhance project capabilities
enormously. A primary enhancement would center around augmenting
downstream irrigated command areas from what today is estimated to
be 142,000 hectares to well over 350,000 hectares. This increase in
agricultural productivity would have tremendous economic benefit for
the overall economy of Afghanistan. Another enhancement involves
augmenting power and energy capabilities.
Discharge conveyance capacity associated with the production
of electrical energy was originally sized to eventually accommodate
a grand total of 150 MW of installed generating capacity (Rated at
67 meters net head). Thus, reservoir heightening could facilitate
the installation of an additional 100 MW of potential generating
capacity.
During 2005, USAID initiated steps necessary for the
installation of the radial gates at Kajakai. Through co funding from
CIDA, a socio-environmental assessment study program was implemented
as the first step. These assessments are still in progress; however,
a common malady affecting most reservoir development conditions in
Afghanistan was also encountered at Kajakai. During the intervening
period of civil strife, considerable numbers of inhabitants have
materialized, and are currently living within the reservoir area
that will be inundated by the proposed radial gate installation.
People impacted by this heightened reservoir development will need
to be relocated and provided an equivalent quality of life as they
presently enjoy.
At present, Unit 1 has been fully rehabilitated and currently
produces 16.5 MW of reliable power. The Unit 3 rehabilitation will
begin will disassembly in May 2006, with a scheduled return to
service in early 2007. The new 18.5 MW Unit 2 turbine/generator has
been contracted to China Machine Building International Corporation
headquartered in Beijing. Engineering, design and procurement are
ongoing. The work will be supervised by Montgomery Watson on Harza
and is planned to begin in September 2006 and be completed by June
2007.
Central to the long-term energy security and sustained
economic growth of South Eastern Afghanistan is the rehabilitation
and expansion of the Kajakai HPP. As a critical component of the
South East Transmission System, the capacity of the Kajakai HPP will
be expanded to 51 MW with a future potential for an additional 100
MW.
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