VRA says drop of water level is normal, sustainable

The Volta River Authority (VRA), on Tuesday said the current steady drop of the water level in the Akosombo Dam was a normal operational activity that should not spark any fears.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mrs Gertrude Koomson of the Corporate Affairs Department, said the current level was being managed carefully and effectively to sustain the nation throughout the Christmas and New Year seasons.

"The drop in the water level is expected at this time of the year because the rains have ended.

"It is a normal phenomenon also because the inflows from the major tributaries of the lake have also reverted to their normal flow."

The level of the water in the dam on Tuesday was 256.10 feet, down from Monday's 256.16 feet. The minimum level is 240.00 feet.

Mrs Koomson said the VRA had put in a lot of contingency plans ranging from the strategic use of the turbines at Akosombo together with reliance on government's emergency power plants to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

She said at present the VRA was running two turbines but this was increased to three when the need arose at peak times.

"We are running an average of 100 megawatts of power from the emergency power plant at Tema apart from the 50 megawatts installed capacity from the Wood Group, an Independent Power Producer (IPP) from the US," Mrs Koomson said.

In addition the 80 megawatts installed capacity by the mining companies was serving as a strategic reserve plant and when the need arose it would be tapped into the national grid based on the agreement with the companies.

"Of the 126-megawatt plants which the VRA itself is installing, about 50 megawatts is currently running. All these are being done to ensure that we have continuous supply of electricity," Mrs Koomson said.

She added that a 110-megawatt combined cycle plant would be installed at Tema to be powered by gas expected to arrive from the West African Gas Pipeline.

Mrs Koomson also mentioned the recent 20 megawatts plant which was commissioned by President John Agyekum Kufuor as well the contract signed by government with an American energy company to make the Osagyefo Barge operational as part of steps to make Ghanaians enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply.  

Source: GNA