Enguri Dam

Enguri Dam is a hydroelectric arch dam on Georgia’s Enguri River. It impounds the reservoir that supplies water to the Enguri hydroelectric power station.

Connect

Arch dam: A concrete dam that transfers water pressure sideways into the valley walls through its curved structure. Enguri Dam uses this form to resist reservoir pressure in a narrow mountain gorge.
Soviet hydroelectric construction: The development of large hydroelectric facilities across the Soviet Union to expand electricity supply and industrial capacity. Enguri Dam was built as part of this wider program of large-scale Soviet infrastructure.
Electricity in Georgia: The generation, transmission, and consumption of electrical power in the country of Georgia. Enguri Dam supports a major share of the country’s hydroelectric generation.
Caucasus Mountains: A mountain system between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, spanning parts of Georgia, Russia, and neighboring countries. The dam occupies a steep river valley within this mountainous region.
Enguri Reservoir: The reservoir formed by Enguri Dam on the Enguri River in western Georgia. Its stored water provides the head that drives the power station’s turbines.
Soviet Georgia: The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, a constituent republic of the Soviet Union from 1921 to 1991. The dam project was planned and built while Georgia was part of the Soviet Union.
Abkhazia: A region on the eastern coast of the Black Sea whose political status is disputed between Georgia and Russia. The dam and its power facilities lie near the boundary between Georgian-controlled territory and Abkhazia.
Enguri River: A river in western Georgia that flows from the Caucasus Mountains toward the Black Sea. The dam spans this river and depends on its flow.
Hydroelectricity: Electricity generated by converting the energy of flowing or falling water. The dam’s purpose is to regulate water for hydroelectric generation.
Enguri Hydroelectric Power Station: A hydroelectric complex in Georgia that generates electricity using water diverted from the Enguri River. The station and dam were developed as linked parts of one hydroelectric project.