Helena Selby
25 August 2010
The Akosombo dam has been of service to the people of Ghana, and some of its neighbouring countries for some decades now, but just as anything which wears out in its productivity as times go by, or if it is subject too much pressure, so has the Akosombo dam reduced its productiveness to the people of Ghana and neighbouring countries.
It is the hope of the nation that history does not repeat itself, where the water level of the Akosombo dam fell, due to inadequate rainfall, compelling the electricity company to ration power for the whole nation, and the other neighbouring countries.
The Bui hydropower dam project is one of the hydropower dams meant to complement the supply of electricity to the people of Ghana. The project is expected to be completed and commissioned in mid 2013. Until then, however, other milestones anticipated include the commencement of river impoundment in the first half of 2011. The completion of installation of the first generation unit, to enable production of the first unit of electricity, is expected in the fourth quarter of 2012.
BUI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
According to the National Energy Policy, the energy sector vision is to develop an "Energy Economy" to secure reliable supply of high quality energy services for all sectors of the Ghanaian economy. The goal is to increase installed power generation capacity quickly, from about 2,000 megawatts (MW) today, to 5,000MW by 2015, and increase electricity access, from the current level of 66%, to universal access by 2020.
Hydroelectricity is the primary source of Ghana's electrical energy. The Akosombo and Kpong plants have installed capacities of 1,020MW and 160MW respectively. Currently, the two VRA hydro plants produce 4,800gigawatts hour per year (GWh/yr).
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