VRA assures Akosombo Dam won’t shut down

The Director of Hydro Generation at the Volta River Authority, Ing. Kirk Coffie has assured that the Akosombo Dam would not shut down even if there were no rains in the rainy season.

He told Joy News there were good signs of water levels in the Dam rising again, but failing that, he said the two operating turbines currently generating power should be able to sustain current power supply rations.

He was reacting to an admonition by Dr Kwame Ampofo, former Minority Spokesperson on Energy, for government to shut down the Akosombo Dam before the declining water levels completely run it down.

Dr Ampofo had said Ghana was heading for a major crisis because the water level in the Akosombo Dam had reached the lowest level ever recorded and was still dropping.

Ing. Coffie disagreed with Dr. Ampofo that the current water level in the Dam; 236.04ft, was the lowest water level ever recorded.

The current level is about 4ft below the minimum operating level of 240 feet, but Ing. Coffie told Joy News that in 1983, the Dam recorded 235.76 and believes “if we run two machines we can sustain and take care of whatever situation we find ourselves in.”

The drop in the water level has forced the VRA to shut down four of the six turbines that power the Dam in normal times, and there have been fears further shortfalls in the level would warrant a complete shut down.