Akosombo water level sinks further

The water level in the Akosombo Lake reached 238.57 feet or 72.716 metres on Friday, June 26, well below the minimum operating level of 240 feet or 73.15 metres required.

The level recorded is 7.25 feet less as registered at the same period last year, which saw the water level pegged at 245.82 or 74.925 metres.

According to data from the Volta River Authority’s (VRA) website, the maximum operating level is 84.73 metres (278ft), while the minimum operating point is 73.15m (240ft).

The maximum water level ever recorded, the VRA said, was on November 2, 1974, registering 84.25metres (276.41ft), as against the minimum reported on June 12, 1984 with 71.86m (235.76ft).

The highest annual inflow ever reported was 3000m3/s in 1963, while the lowest was 288m3/s in 1983

Currently, the VRA contributes 75 percent of the total generation in the country with its supply coming from hydro, thermal comprising Gas, Light Crude Oil and Distillate Fuel Oil fired plants, as well as Solar.

The Akosombo Lake enhances supply reliability, security and reduction of risk to inflow variability and fuel supply challenges.

But in recent times, it faced series of problems, including inadequate generation capacity reserve and lack of gas supply, and limiting thermal generation.

However, authorities of the VRA maintain they are taking mitigation actions, including carrying out more generation projects, and that they are planning to add about 1,000 MW of generation capacity over the next five years.