Construction on the dam began in 1964, the first generator was operational by 1974, the last in 1976 while the project was officially completed in 1978.

The dam withholds a 2,780,000,000 m3 (2,253,783 acre⋅ft) reservoir of which 1,320,000,000 m3 (1,070,141 acre⋅ft) is active or "useful" storage.

Maximum depth of the reservoir is 200 m (656 ft) and its catchment area is 11,290 km2 (4,359 sq mi).

The dam's outlet works, spillway and power station have a combined discharge capacity of 3,550 m3/s (125,367 cu ft/s).

Each generator is supplied with water by a penstock, all four of which intake on the upstream side of the dam's face and run down its surface toward the power station at the dam's base.