Khudafarin hydroelectric power station, Embankment dam and hydroelectric station in Khoda Afarin County, Azerbaijan and Iran.
The Khudafarin hydroelectric power station is a rockfill dam with a clay core on the Aras River, which forms the border between Azerbaijan and Iran. Its crest is 390 metres long and it stands 61 metres high, with a reservoir holding 1.6 billion cubic metres. Two symmetrical powerhouses sit on opposite banks, each with two Kaplan turbines of 50 MW.
Iran and the USSR began joint planning in 1972, and a construction agreement followed in October 1977; work stopped in 1993 during the Karabakh conflict. Construction restarted in 1999, the dam was commissioned in late 2007, and filling was paused in 2008 for Bronze Age and Saka-Scythian excavations. The plant was inaugurated on 19 May 2024.
Archaeological excavations during construction revealed Bronze Age sites and a Saka-Scythian warrior grave near the dam location.
The dam is a cross-border structure visible from both the Azerbaijani and Iranian sides of the Aras River. Visitors should check local access conditions and regulations for this border area before planning a visit.
Archaeological discoveries during construction revealed Bronze Age settlements and a Saka-Scythian warrior burial at the site. These findings show that the region has been inhabited and traveled through for thousands of years.
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