| Papanasam Dam | |
| Location Map: | Tamil Nadu |
| Location Map Caption: | Location of the Papanasam Dam in Tamil Nadu |
| Coordinates: | 8.712°N 77.393°W |
| Country: | India |
| Location: | Papanasam, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu |
| Opening: | 1942 |
| Dam Type: | Gravity dam |
| Dam Height: | 1430NaN0 |
| Dam Height Foundation: | 2000NaN0 |
| Dam Length: | 7440NaN0 |
| Res Name: | Papanasam Reservoir |
| Res Capacity Total: | 5.50NaN0 (5.5 tmc ft) |
| Plant Operator: | Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited |
| Plant Commission: | Unit 1: 8 July 1944 Unit 2: 12 December 1944 Unit 3: 10 June 1945 Unit 4: 7 July 1951 |
| Plant Turbines: | 4 x 8 MW Francis-type |
| Plant Capacity: | 32 MW |
The Papanasam dam also known as Karaiyar Dam is located away from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, India. The dam is used to irrigate of paddy fields in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts.[1]
Papanasam Hydroelectric Power Plant has a design capacity of 28 megawatts. It has four Francis turbine-generators. The first unit was commissioned in 1944 and the last in 1951. It is on Thambirabarani river. It is operated by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO).[2] [3]