Ubol Ratana Dam
Encyclopedia
The Ubol Ratana Dam is a multi-purpose dam located in Tambon Kok-Soong, Ubol Ratana District, approximately 50 km (31.1 mi) north of Khon Kaen
, Khon Kaen Province
, Thailand
. It was the first hydroelectric power project developed in the Thailand's northeastern area of Isan
. The dam impounds the Nam Phong, a tributary of the Mekong River. The dam was given its current name by Royal Permission in 1966, in honour of Thai princess Ubolratana Rajakanya.
In 1984, the dam was modified to reinforce dam safety and to ensure better flood protection. 30,000 people were resettled to make way for the large reservoir accompanying the dam. This resettlement resulted in a sharp decrease in forested areas in the catchment areas and an increase in erosion.
. "So thorough have been the studies and the planning that only one of the committee's major river development projects has reached near-completion. It is the multipurpose Nam Pong project on a remote tributary of the Mekong in Northeastern Thailand. It was water from its rock-fill dam, completed in 1966, that was so needed so urgently by the village of Nong Ben in the summer of 1967. The dam, named Ubol Ratana, was producing power; its ultimate capacity will be 24,000 kilowatts".
Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen is a city in Isan, Thailand. It is also the capital of Khon Kaen province and the Khon Kaen district.-Geography and demography:Khon Kaen is located in the Khorat Plateau, in the central-northwestern area of Isaan...
, Khon Kaen Province
Khon Kaen Province
-History:The first city of the area was established in 1783 when Rajakruluang settled there with 330 people. King Rama I made Rajakruluang the first governor of the area when establishing tighter connections with the Isan area. The main city was moved six times until in 1879 it reached its modern...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. It was the first hydroelectric power project developed in the Thailand's northeastern area of Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
. The dam impounds the Nam Phong, a tributary of the Mekong River. The dam was given its current name by Royal Permission in 1966, in honour of Thai princess Ubolratana Rajakanya.
Description
The dam is considered to have multi-purpose functions: electricity generation, irrigation, flood control, transportation, fisheries and as tourist attraction. This is an earth core rockfill dam, and was constructed in 1964. It is 885 m (2,903.5 ft), and 31.5 m (103.3 ft) high. Its catchment area is 12000 square kilometre. Its reservoir has a maximum storage capacity of 2559000 cubic metre.In 1984, the dam was modified to reinforce dam safety and to ensure better flood protection. 30,000 people were resettled to make way for the large reservoir accompanying the dam. This resettlement resulted in a sharp decrease in forested areas in the catchment areas and an increase in erosion.
Power plant
The power plant, located at the dam, has three turbines, each with an installed capacity of . The dam generates an average of a year. The operation of the turbines commenced on February 4, 1966, March 14, 1969 and June 12, 1968 respectively.History
The Ubol Ratana Dam was a product of the so-called "Lower Mekong Basin Project", which was conceived and coordinated by the Mekong Committee, the precursor to the Mekong River CommissionMekong River Commission
The Mekong River Commission is an intergovernment body charged “to promote and co-ordinate sustainable management and development of water and related resources for the countries’ mutual benefit and the people’s well-being by implementing strategic programmes and activities and providing...
. "So thorough have been the studies and the planning that only one of the committee's major river development projects has reached near-completion. It is the multipurpose Nam Pong project on a remote tributary of the Mekong in Northeastern Thailand. It was water from its rock-fill dam, completed in 1966, that was so needed so urgently by the village of Nong Ben in the summer of 1967. The dam, named Ubol Ratana, was producing power; its ultimate capacity will be 24,000 kilowatts".
See also
- Mekong River Basin HydropowerMekong River Basin HydropowerThe estimated hydropower potential of the lower Mekong Basin is 30,000 MW, while that of the upper Mekong Basin is 28,930 MW. In the lower Mekong, more than 3,235 MW has been met through facilities built largely over the past ten years, while an additional 3,209 MW are currently under construction...
- Mekong River CommissionMekong River CommissionThe Mekong River Commission is an intergovernment body charged “to promote and co-ordinate sustainable management and development of water and related resources for the countries’ mutual benefit and the people’s well-being by implementing strategic programmes and activities and providing...
- Electricity Generating Authority of ThailandElectricity Generating Authority of ThailandThe Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand , , is a state enterprise that owns and manages the majority of Thailand's electricity generation capacity, as well as the nation's transmission network.EGAT is managed by the Ministry of Energy....