Bui project could have produced 622megawats of solar

An energy expert, Engineer Robert Woode has said the 622 million dollars used by the government to construct the Bui hydro dam could have been used to 622 megawatts of solar energy for the country. Government late last year commissioned the Bui Hydro dam with about 400 megawatts capacity to feed into the national grid. The project was initiated under the erstwhile Kufour regime and completed a year ago under President John Dramani Mahama. But Engineer Woode otherwise called the Crusading Engineer has questioned the decision in spending such huge amounts on the project. Speaking in a news conference as part of the Convention Peoples’ Party’s 65th anniversary, he contends that the country could have gotten more power if that amount had been invested in development of Solar Power stations. He cited countries like Germany where infrastructure for solar energy has cost the country less as compared to the amounts used for BUI in providing hydro energy. His comment comes at a time the country is faced with an acute power shortage with limited power generation capacity. The most viable suggestion from several quarters to government has been for the country to explore alternative sources of power with solar being top on the agenda.