By Helena Selby
The Akosombo dam has been of service to the people of Ghana, and some of its neighbouring countries for some decades now, but just as anything which wears out in its productivity as times go by, or if it is subject too much pressure, so has the Akosombo dam reduced its productiveness to the people of Ghana and neighbouring countries.
It is the hope of the nation that history does not repeat itself, where the water level of the Akosombo dam fell, due to inadequate rainfall, compelling the electricity company to ration power for the whole nation, and the other neighbouring countries.
The Bui hydropower dam project is one of the hydropower dams meant to complement the supply of electricity to the people of Ghana. The project is expected to be completed and commissioned in mid 2013. Until then, however, other milestones anticipated include the commencement of river impoundment in the first half of 2011. The completion of installation of the first generation unit, to enable production of the first unit of electricity, is expected in the fourth quarter of 2012.
BUI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
According to the National Energy Policy, the energy sector vision is to develop an "Energy Economy" to secure reliable supply of high quality energy services for all sectors of the Ghanaian economy. The goal is to increase installed power generation capacity quickly, from about 2,000 megawatts (MW) today, to 5,000MW by 2015, and increase electricity access, from the current level of 66%, to universal access by 2020.
Hydroelectricity is the primary source of Ghana's electrical energy. The Akosombo and Kpong plants have installed capacities of 1,020MW and 160MW respectively. Currently, the two VRA hydro plants produce 4,800gigawatts hour per year (GWh/yr).
The government has sought to add 400MW to the existing 1,620MW of installed capacity, by constructing the Bui Hydroelectric Plant. Three years ago, the former administration cut the sod for work to commence on the Bui Hydroelectric Project. The project is expected to cost US$622 million. It is funded with a Concessional Loan facility of US$263.5 million, and a Buyer's Credit facility of US$298.5 million from the Government of the People's Republic of China, and the China EXIM Bank respectively, with a Government of Ghana contribution of US$60 million.
Benefits to the people of Ghana
In addition to the obvious benefit of power generation, there is also that of irrigation. There is a potential irrigable land of 30,000ha, which would serve as the bedrock for the massive mechanised farming of food and cash crops, fisheries and animal husbandry. This will also aid in the provision of water supply for domestic use.
The long term benefits of the project will include job creation, improvement of educational, health and social facilities within the area, and the development of transportation networks to create access to markets for farm produce, etc.
The country's power generation capacity will be increased, thus enhancing power supply in the country in general, and in particular, the reliability and security of power supply to the Northern Sector of the country. Also, there would be a reinforcement of the transmission network in the three Northern Regions of the country.
Resettlement Program
According the Assistant External Relations Officer of the Bui Dam project, Gabriel Apatu, the development of the Bui dam will create a reservoir that will involve the inundation, at full supply level, of about 444km2 of land, including parts of the Bui National Park.
The area of permanent inundation includes six villages which need to be resettled. Although another community, Dokokyina, will not be inundated, it will need to be relocated, because the community will be surrounded on three sides by the reservoir (south, east and west), and large parts of their land, which is used for cultivation, grazing, hunting and collection of forest products, will also be submerged.
It is also intended to relocate the Bui Camp, the current residence of Game and Wildlife Officers assigned to protect the Bui National Park. The Project therefore involves the resettlement of eight communities, with a total of 1,216 people.
Resettlement Package
Unlike the Akosombo dam project, which rendered my people homeless, the authorities in charge are on the verge to make sure history does not repeat itself in the Bui Dam project.
The Assistant External Relations Officer has indicated that the main elements of the Resettlement & Community Support program, otherwise known as the Resettlement Package, include new resettlement townships with the following communal facilities: Community Centre, Nursery, Place of worship, Boreholes, Kumasi Ventilated Improved Pits (KVIPs). Houses - that is room for kitchen, bath, living room, and Compensation for loss of economic trees at Land Valuation Board rates.
It will also include grants, thus, GH ¢100 to relocation, GH ¢50 to till new farm, income support: GH ¢100/month/household for one year, and livelihood enhancement, thus, assisting the people with other economic activities to augment their incomes.
Implementation of the Resettlement Program has been divided into three parts; Part A, Part B and Part C.
The Resettlement Part "A" involved the resettling of those four communities situated where the dam construction activities were to take place. Obviously, because of the direct impact on the dam construction, the four communities (Brewohodi, Dam site, Agbegikuro and Lucene) were the first to be resettled. The settlement is made up of forty-two households, and a total number of two hundred and seventeen people.
He said the resettlement Part "B" is to resettle three other communities; Bui Village, Bator Akanyakrom and Dokokyina at the Bui Township. Consultations about the resettlement site, house designs and location of social amenities have all been worked through, and agreed upon. Construction of the township is almost complete. The Camp will have 170 housing units, a Community Centre, hand pump boreholes, places of worship, schools, etc.
The Bui Project Authority (BPA) invited a team of archaeologists from the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, to undertake 'salvage archaeology', in order to preserve the heritage of the three communities, for posterity.
Resettlement Part "C" involves resettling personnel of the Game and Wildlife Division living at the old and dilapidated Bui Camp. A total of 36 households will be relocated.
Later, in December 2010, the BPA will launch a Livelihood Enhancement Program to assist the people, both resettled and host-communities, to acquire other skills to improve their economic activities and living standards.
In an interview with Gabriel Apatu, he indicated that the Bui Hydroelectric Project, when completed, will produce about 1,000GW per hour of energy annually. The hydro plant will have a Maximum Operating Level of 183.91 meters above sea level (masl), with an Exceptional Maximum Operating Level of 185.40masl. Its Minimum Operating Level will be 160.00masl. Available statistics peg the average annual inflow of water at 205m3/s.
The Bui plant is a Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) gravity dam, which has spillways, power intakes and penstocks located within the concrete dam.
There is also a powerhouse at the toe of the dam on the left bank, two saddle dams on the right bank and a switchyard.
A permanent bridge will also be built downstream of the dam. Power produced from the plant will be evacuated from the Bui Switchyard, through 161kV transmission facilities, which will be operated as part of the national Interconnected Transmission System.
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