Akosombo Dam Drops Deep

The hopes of the business community and the general public to benefit from utility tariff reduction, appears to be dashed, as water level in the Akosombo Hydroelectric dam continues to drop the day.

Reports from the Volta River Authority (VRA), show that water level dropped from 251 meters earlier this month to 250.073 meters as of 11th March from 250.80meters the previous day, March 10th representing about 0.5meter drop every two days.

Government announced last month it was considering reviewing electricity tariff downward, but the Public Utility Regulation Commission (PURC), said the decision was conditional and it would be based on an assessment of the water level at the close of April this year. But merely a month after the pronouncement, there are apparent indications that government and for that matter the PURC will have to revisit its earlier projects.

Experts say he dam will continue to experience a shortfall down and probably fall before 200meters unless the rains come soon.

However, they say it would be premature to make any substantial decisions and promises until the dam begins to record a rise.

The shortfall has been accelerated by extreme dryness harmattan, which suddenly hit the northern part of the country.

Government?s decision, which was interpreted as political however, gains repute as it was given on condition that the water level stays favourable. VRA began generating more than 60 per cent of electricity from the thermal power plant at Takoradi with Akosombo generating less than 30 per cent.

Even though the dam recovered sufficient water in mid December, last year prompting government to initiate a tariff reduction measures, the call is unlikely to materialize as once again electricity generation is shifting back in favour of the more expensive thermal generation using light crude oil.

Meanwhile, the business community has responded sharply to the latest development and has called on authorities to be circumspect in their forecast of energy related matters before making them public, since according to them such statements quickly affect business projections and also disrupts planning.