The Volta River Authority (VRA) has announced plans to convert the Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam into a massive power battery reserve as part of efforts to modernise Ghana’s energy infrastructure.
The initiative, currently at the feasibility study stage, is aimed at making Akosombo more viable in the face of a global transition from hydro to thermal and renewable energy generation.
Briefing Parliament’s Energy Committee during a monitoring visit to the facility on Saturday, September 27, in Akosombo, VRA’s acting Chief Executive Officer, Ing. Edward Ekow Obeng-Kenzo, explained that the project would enable the dam to store renewable energy for later use.
“As we are transitioning to renewables and renewables are interruptible power, when you run them during the daytime, in the evenings, they are off. So, what we want to do is use Akosombo as a battery because, when you use a normal battery for a renewable, the cost goes very, very high.
“So during the daytime when the solar is running, we’ll preserve the water in our Akosombo, and in the evening we’ll bring our Akosombo on board so that it acts as a battery and saves the country,” he said.
Ing. Obeng-Kenzo added that “when we’re able to do that once, we can do it for the whole West Africa because we have a huge water resource and at least, we always have a maximum amount of water to support generation, and to also regularise the price, as I said last time. So it’s a study we are carrying out.”
Dam Integrity and Lifespan Extended
Ing. Obeng-Kenzo assured the committee that Ghana’s key hydro facilities are in good condition. He revealed that the Akosombo and Akuse dams have undergone retrofitting and rigorous international assessments to ensure their long-term viability.
“We carry out five-year dam assessments with experts from across the world. They last visited three years ago and will return in two years. Based on their recommendations, we’ve extended Akosombo’s lifespan by almost 40 years and Akuse by 30 years,” he disclosed.
Energy Committee’s Monitoring Tour
The Energy Committee, led by Chairman Hon. Emmanuel Bedzrah, is on a three-day nationwide tour of critical power sector agencies, including GRIDCo, PURC, ECG, the Energy Commission, and VRA.
According to Hon. Bedzrah, the visit aims to “assess the state of Ghana’s power sector and make critical recommendations to Parliament on legislation and policies to strengthen the sector.”
The tour will conclude with inspections of the Akosombo, Akuse, and Bui dams.
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