Bui Authority spills and assures residents of safety measures
The Bui Power Authority (BPA), Managers of the Bui Dam has assured residents around the facility of adequate safety interventions as they undertake major spilling of excess water at the 400 megawatts Power Generation Station.
The “controlled spilling”, according to the Authority would not make any adverse impact, directly or indirectly on the 46 communities around the catchment areas of the Black Volta.
Mr. Fred Oware, the Chief Executive Officer of the BPA, gave the assurance when he interacted with a section of the media at the Bui Dam site in the Banda District of the Bono Region.
At exactly 0900 hours, the Authority opened two out of the five spill gates of the dam structure to spill excess water to acceptable levels to safeguard the structural integrity of the dam and also pave way for effective power generation.
Mr Oware indicated the BPA took adequate precautionary measures to ensure that the excess water from the dam flowed through the course of the Black Volta, during the exercise spanning for about five to 10 days.
The duration may however vary according to upstream recorded inflows due to high inflows of water into the Bui Reservoir.
Mr. Oware said civil engineers and navy officers were deployed along the Black Volta to monitor, and address any unforeseen contingencies that might happen.
“We do not anticipate any adverse effect on residents “, he said, but cautioned fisher folks in the area to be extra careful, and if possible desist from fishing until the exercise is over.
Mrs. Charlie Lawson, the Corporate Affairs Manager, said the BPA intensified public education to sensitise residents around the facility on the need to stay away from fishing, saying officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) were already in the local communities.
She explained the Dam was designed to hold water up to elevation 183 metres above sea level, however as of October 16, the water level of the Reservoir was 181.78 with a daily rise of 0.20 metres.
“The action will be undertaken in the event that the reservoir reaches elevation 182.50”, she added.
Mrs. Lawson said the spillage would not have significant effect on the accumulated inflows for operations of the Bui Generating Station in 2020.
“We assure the general public that all water discharged from the reservoir will flow into the Volta Lake to enhance power generation at the Akosombo and Kpong Generating Stations”, she said.
Source: GNA