T.B. DAM is a 36 MW hydro power plant in Karnataka, India. Based on reported annual generation of 152 GWh, it can supply roughly 43k homes. It ranks #1250 of 2,225 India power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1960, it is around 66 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 8.6% of India's electricity; the national grid averages 670 gCO₂/kWh (26.7% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id IND0000436.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100001054750; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 36 MW, T.B. DAM is below the median hydro plant in India (80 MW). Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 48%, from 152 GWh of reported generation; the median for 173 hydro plants in India that report generation is 35%
- Generation trend
- 182 GWh in 2014 and 152 GWh in 2018 (−16%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2014: 182 GWh; 2016: 81 GWh
- Share of India hydro capacity
- less than 0.1% of 45,527 MW across 233 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 18 of 233 dated hydro plants in India are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Reported generation trend
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Local climate & thermal context
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 15.3°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #162 largest hydro power plant of 233 in India by capacity.
India has 233 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 45,527 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- HAMPI · Hydro · 36 MW · Karnataka
- MUNIRABAD · Hydro · 28.3 MW · Karnataka
- DANAPUR BMM · Coal · 235 MW · Karnataka
- KOPPAL HKMP · Coal · 12 MW · Karnataka
- Vijaynagar (KPCL) power station · Coal · 1,000 MW · Karnataka
- MALLARPUR · Hydro · 9 MW · Karnataka
Location
Coordinates 15.2615, 76.3379 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is T.B. DAM?
T.B. DAM is a 36 MW hydro power plant in Karnataka, India, commissioned in 1960.
How much electricity does T.B. DAM generate?
T.B. DAM generates about 152 GWh of electricity per year.