Altınkaya Dam, one of the largest dams and hydro-electric power plants in Turkey, was built as clay cored rock fill type on Kızylırmak River, 35 km. southwest of the Bafra, subprovince of Samsun City. Having a 5.76 x 10⁹m³ active reservoir storage, it generates electrical power with a generation capacity of 1 billion 632 million kWh in a year and supplies permanent and regular water for the purpose of providing power to the Derbent Dam.

Altınkaya Dam's crest height is 195 m. and crest length is 634 m. total diversion tunnel length is 1,700 m. while the tunnel diameter section is 9.8 m. and it has 6 spillway gates. Altynkaya Dam and HEPP, which was built by the joint venture of Yüksel Construction Co., Inc. and Güriş Co., Inc., generates power by 700 MW installed capacity. Spillway has a discharge capacity of 11,800 m ³/sec.