Silvan Dam is an embankment concrete-face rock-fill currently under construction on the Batman River in the district of Silvan, Diyarbakır Province in southeastern Turkey. It is part of the Southeastern Anatolia Project and located upstream of the Batman Dam.

Construction

Construction began on 26 July 2011. The purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and irrigation. It is designed to irrigate an area of . The power station will have an installed capacity of 160 MW.

In 2014, the dam, as well as other in southeast Turkey such as the Ilisu Dam, became a prime target of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants after peace talks collapsed with the government. Attacks on the dam, supporting structures and workers are part of the PKK's efforts to stop construction. These attacks delayed construction by 2 years.

In December 2017, Diyarbakır Governor Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu inspected the Silvan Dam site, where State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) officials reported that the project was nearing completion with final works continuing before operation and integration with the associated irrigation and hydropower facilities. The construction of the Silvan Tunnel which brings the water from the dam to the surrounding plains started in June 2019. The dam body was completed in January 2021 and some sources say the entire project was completed in the end of 2022.

In April 2024, Turkey's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry reported that the Silvan Dam had reached 96% physical completion. In June 2024, Andritz announced that it had been selected by Turkey's State Hydraulic Works to supply the electro-mechanical equipment for the 160 MW Silvan Hydroelectric Power Plant, including four 40 MW turbines, generators, and related systems. The plant is expected to produce 681 GWh of electricity annually once operational.

In May 2026, the DSİ conducted a technical inspection of the Silvan Project components under construction, including the Silvan Dam Completion Works and the Silvan Tunnel Completion Phase 2 works. The inspection confirmed that final-stage activities were continuing on the dam infrastructure and water conveyance systems. A month later, installation works at the Silvan Hydroelectric Power Plant reached key milestones, with all four draft tubes installed and the first spiral case completed, as the project moved closer to commissioning.

In July 2026, construction continued on the Taşköprü Viaduct and connecting roads associated with the Silvan Dam project to maintain transportation links after reservoir filling. The State Hydraulic Works reported that the project had reached 68% physical completion, with completion targeted for 2027.

References

External links