Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated that an agreement was signed with the relevant company for electricity production in Silvan Dam and HEPP, one of the most important stages of GAP, and announced that it is envisaged to contribute 1,5 billion TL annually to the country's economy with the energy to be produced in the facilities.
Minister Yumaklı pointed out that the Silvan Project is one of the most important stages of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP).
Yumaklı said, "The Silvan Project, which has a total of 8 components, including 23 dams and 31 irrigation facilities, is planned to contribute 20 billion TL annually to our economy," and emphasized that the Silvan Dam and HEPP on the Kulp Stream is one of the most important of these components.
Yumaklı underlined that the Silvan Dam is Turkey's and Europe's highest concrete-covered rockfill dam, with a body of 175,5 meters high and a fill volume of 8,7 million cubic meters, and said:
“Silvan Dam will be the second largest irrigation dam of GAP after Atatürk Dam, with a reservoir volume of 7,3 billion cubic meters with storage capacity. "With the complete completion and implementation of the Silvan Dam, which is currently at 96 percent physical completion, as well as intermediate storage and irrigation facilities, approximately 2 million 350 thousand decares of agricultural land will have water and 235 thousand people will be provided with employment opportunities."
IMPORTANT STEP FOR ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION
Reminding that hydroelectric energy production will also be produced at the facility, Yumaklı said:
“Silvan Dam and HEPP, where energy production will be planned in parallel with the development of irrigation projects, will produce 681 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually in the first phase. It is anticipated that the energy produced at the facility will contribute 1,5 billion TL annually to our country's economy. An important step was taken towards energy production in Silvan Dam and HEPP, one of the most important stages of GAP, and a contract was signed with the relevant company for the construction of electromechanical works. Within the framework of the contract signed for 1,8 billion TL, construction work is planned to start in the coming days and the project will be ready for operation in August 2026. With Silvan Dam and HEPP, on the one hand, our clean, cheap and renewable energy potential, which is our national wealth, will be utilized, and on the other hand, our fertile lands will be provided with water with its storage capacity. “We will continue to carry our country to the future with such honorable projects and make it have a say in the world in agricultural production.”