Norton Dam

Dam in Norton Bridge, Central Province

06°54′50″N 80°31′18″E / 6.91389°N 80.52167°E / 6.91389; 80.52167PurposePowerStatusOperationalConstruction began1924Opening dateDecember 1950 (1950-12)Owner(s)Ceylon Electricity BoardDam and spillwaysType of damGravity damImpoundsKehelgamu OyaLength103 m (338 ft)Elevation at crest873 m (2,864 ft) MASLReservoirCreatesNorton ReservoirTotal capacity390,000 m³ (14,000,000 cu ft)Catchment area19.4 km² (7.5 sq mi)Surface area0.15 km² (0.058 sq mi)Maximum length650 m (2,130 ft)Maximum width280 m (920 ft)Old Laxapana Power StationCoordinates06°55′07″N 80°29′30″E / 6.91861°N 80.49167°E / 6.91861; 80.49167Operator(s)Ceylon Electricity BoardTypeConventionalTurbines3 × 8.33 MW
2 × 12.50 MWInstalled capacity50 MW

The Norton Dam (also sometimes called the Norton Bridge Dam) is the gravity dam built across the Kehelgamu Oya, which is a main tributary to the Kelani River. The dam is built at Norton Bridge, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka.^[1]

Reservoir and power station

The dam creates the relatively small Norton Reservoir, which is sustained by water from the Kehelgamu Oya, and water discharged from the Wimalasurendra Hydroelectric Power Station, which is located upstream of the reservoir. The Wimalasurendra Power Station or the Norton Bridge Power station is fed from the reservoir at Castles Reigh about 2000 feet above the Norton Reservoir.^[1]

Water from the Norton Reservoir is further channelled through a Tunnel through the rock strata and then by a couple of steel pipes penstock to the Old Laxapana Hydroelectric Power Station, located 3.8 km (2.4 mi) downstream at 06°55′07″N 80°29′30″E / 6.91861°N 80.49167°E / 6.91861; 80.49167 (Old Laxapana Hydroelectric Power Station), 1.5 km (0.9 mi) northwest of Kiriwan Eliya. The power station consists of five hydroelectric generators, three of which are rated at 8.33 MW, and two of which are 12.50 MW. The first three and last two units were commissioned in December 1950 and December 1958, respectively.^[1]^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "CEB Hydropower Generation". Ceylon Electricity Board. Archived from the original on 18 January 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
^ "CEB Generation Details: Laxapana Complex". Ceylon Electricity Board. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.

Electricity in Sri Lanka

Sustainable
power stations

Hydro power

Laxapana Complex	Broadlands Canyon Castlereigh Laxapana Maskeliya Norton
Mahaweli Complex	Bowatenna Deduru Oya Kotmale Moragahakanda Nilambe Polgolla Randenigala Rantembe Upper Kotmale Victoria
Other	Gal Oya Kukule Ganga Samanala Udawalawe

Solar power

Wind power

Fossil-fuel
power stations

Operational / UC	Aitken Spence Asia Power Sapugaskanda Colombo Port Ace Embilipitiya KCHT Karadiyana Kelanitissa Lakdhanavi Lakvijaya Northern Sampur (cancelled) Sapugaskanda Sojitz Kelanitissa Uthuru Janani Yugadanavi
Decommissioned	Ace Horana Ace Matara Aggreko Chunnakam Heladhanavi Koolair Pettah

Organizations

Inland waters of Sri Lanka

Rivers

≥100km	Deduru Oya Gal Oya Gin Ganga Kala Oya Kalu Ganga Kukule Ganga Kelani River Kehelgamu Oya Maskeliya Oya Pusweli Oya Kirindi Oya Kumbukkan Oya Maduru Oya Maha Oya Malwathu Oya Amban Ganga Kotmale Oya Nanu Oya Mahaweli Ganga Menik Ganga Mi Oya Walawe River Belihul Oya Yan Oya
<100km	Akkarayan Aru Kanakarayan Aru Kodalikkallu Aru Madu Ganga Mandekal Aru Mavil Aru Nay Aru (Mannar) Nay Aru (Mullaitivu) Netheli Aru Nilwala River Pali Aru Pallavarayankaddu Aru Parangi Aru Per Aru Piramenthal Aru Theravil Aru Valukkai Aru Verugal Aru

Lakes

Lagoons

Eastern coast	Batticaloa Lagoon Chalai Lagoon Chundikkulam Lagoon Kokkilai Lagoon Nai Aru Lagoon Nanthi Lagoon Ullackalie Lagoon Upaar Lagoon Vadamarachchi Lagoon Valaichchenai Lagoon
Western coast	Jaffna Lagoon Mundal Lagoon Negombo Lagoon Puttalam Lagoon Uppu Aru Lagoon
Southern coast	Koggala Lagoon Rekawa Lagoon Malala-Ambilikala Lagoons