HULU TERENGGANU: The flooding of the second hydro-electric dam at the Puah reservoir here, six months ahead of the deadline.
Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) will raise the water level to 276 metres in the first phase and would be raised in stages to reach a maximum level of 296 metres.
This will create a lake covering 6,977 hectares, which is one-sixth the size of Tasik Kenyir which is about 36,900 hectares," said Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Datuk Mahdzir Khalid.
He was at the project site to brief the media on the progress of the RM2 billion Puah reservoir which has the capacity to produce 250 megawatts when its two turbines became fully functional in 2016.
"The hydro-electric dam will be fully commissioned by April 2016," he said, adding that TNB would start testing the underground turbines by July next year.
He said the new dam would not only mitigate floods during the monsoon season but also serve as a new eco-tourism destination for Terengganu that would complement the popularity of Tasik Kenyir which is about the size of Singapore.
He added that TNB Research and the Wildlife Department were working to evacuate animals trapped by the impoundment of the new dam and the rehabilitation of the Malayan mahsheer (Kelah) to upper parts of rivers filling up the lake.
Mahdzir was on his working visit at the Puah reservoir, yesterday .( Wednesday )
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