Erdoğan inaugurates Ilısu Dam in southeastern Turkey

The Turkish president on Nov. 6 inaugurated the Ilısu Dam in the country's southeastern province Mardin.

Its total water storage volume is 11 billion cubic meters and can generate 1,200 megawatts of hydroelectricity.

Addressing the opening ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the project has been completed despite obstacles, including financing issues and terror attacks.

"This work is the best answer to sworn enemies of Turkey and those who are hostile to their own country and the nation," Erdoğan said.

He said it is the largest dam on the Tigris River and the fourth largest Turkish hydroelectric plant.

"This dam is the second-largest dam in the country after Turkey's Atatürk Dam, and the largest in the world in terms of filling volume among the 'concrete faced rockfill dam' types," the president said.

Saying the project cost 20 billion Turkish liras ($2 billion), he argued that its contributions to the Turkish economy will be around 3 billion Turkish liras ($309 million) annually.

The Ilısu Dam stands 135 meters (442 feet) high and the total water storage volume is 10.6 billion cubic meters (374.3 cubic feet), making it the country's second-biggest dam.