The Bui Power Authority has officially announced a reduction in its generation capacity.
”As a result of the Bui Reservoir reaching the minimum operating level, the rate of power generation at Bui Generating Station has been reduced in order to protect the turbines from potential damage,” a statement from the Bui Power Operations said.
According to the Bui Power Authority it is unable to maintain the high rate of power generation and production because of its depleted reservoir.
”The exceedingly high level of generation support that the Bui Generating Station has been providing to the national electricity grid since the commissioning of the Bui plant has caused the Bui reservoir level to fall to the minimum operating level of 168.0 masl,” the statement added.
Speaking to Citi News Assistant External and Communication Relations Officer of the Bui Power Project, Mawuli Fui Kwadzovia said it is imprudent to operate the generating plant below the minimum operating level of the reservoir.
He said, ”this unduly exposes the turbines to higher risk of damage”.
”BPA is monitoring the reservoir level and will revise the production plan in conjunction with Gridco as soon as necessary,” the statement further noted.
The development means the current erratic power supply will intensify.
The African Centre for Energy Policy said only a miracle will rescue the Bui Dam from shutting down. “Bui Dam needs a miracle”, Head of Programmes at ACEP, Benjamin Boakye told Accra based Joy FM.
Meanwhile Former Deputy Minister of Energy and MP for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir Hammond said the current situation is ”scandalous”.
He called on the president to crack the whip and sack those who are responsible for this flaw.
”If anything happened to it [Bui Dam] the country will not forgive the individuals involved,” he said.
By: Evans Effah/citifmonline.com/Ghana