Ghana: ‘Save Power’ Says VRA

The current load shedding regime that Ghana is experiencing may continue for a long time if Ghanaians do not practice energy saving in their various homes, workplaces and industries. Though the Volta River Authority (VRA) has announced that the current regime of power rationing would be reviewed as soon as possible, ADM can reveal that Ghana’s main electricity generator, the Akosombo Dam alone cannot in the near future satisfy the country’s energy requirements to the full. The water capacity in the dam is at its lowest level and without a major “refill” cannot drive all the six turbines effectively and effeciently.
Last Tuesday, ADM was among a group of pressmen that visited the dam and power generating areas. The dam was commissioned in 1966 by Ghana’s first Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The dam and its environment have seen great improvements in technology and infrastructure since then. Apart from the state of the art six new turbines, which have replaced the old ones installed since the days of Dr. Nkrumah, the control room and the dam itself have also seen more modern facilities and improvements.

But with all these improvements, the effectiveness of the dam has been and continues to be determined by nature, that is, the amount of rain that falls within the catchment area of the Volta River and its tributaries.

The water level, which according to the Director of Hydro, Mr. Kirk Koffi should be at a maximum level of 278.00ft, is now at 236.77ft. This Mr. Koffi said is the lowest ever to be experienced by the dam since its creation.

He said the water level is so low that any more extraction of power or load would expose the turbines to air. This he said, “made us resort to the load shedding.”

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