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Some Engineers at the Volta River Authority (VRA) as well as other engineers in the country have bought into the idea expressed by a Building Engineer and Director of Koans Estates, Mr. Kofi Anokye who suggested that the current energy crisis could end if VRA considered alternative means of keeping the Akosombo Dam full and working at optimum levels.

This paper last week reported Mr. Kofi Anokye of suggesting that after series of research which he conducted into the current energy crisis there is the need for engineers to consider tapping water from the Ada River down to the Akobombo Dam to be able to power the turbines.

He averred that, pipes could be laid from the Ada River and with the construction of various Chambers along the route to the Akosombo Dam, to ensure that there is adequate water for the dam.

He also believed that if this initiative is undertaken, the situation where the Akosombo Dam could not help in power generation will be reduced and the erratic power supply will be a thing of the past.

Mr. Anokye however challenged the VRA and its officials and engineers to take initiatives that will help assuage the problem rather than making unrealistic promises.

Interestingly, feedbacks from some VRA Engineers seem to have concurred with what Mr. Anokye is suggesting.

According to them, since the power rationing is partially linked to the low levels of water in the Akosombo Dam which has been the usual cause of energy crisis, and shortage of gas, interventions such as the one Mr. Anokye is proposing will do a lot of good.

The debate on possible solutions in ending the current energy crisis which has bedevilled the nation has not ceased as many people including policy advocates, NGOs and chiefs have all waged into the debate each expressing views on how best to address the situation.

The current energy crisis has been described as the most badly handled in the country’s history by many people.
The VRA promised to end the situation in the middle of the year, 2014, but the situation seems to escalate resulting in load shedding exercise which is greatly affecting businesses in the country.

More so, President Mahama during the State of the Nations Address in Parliament on Thursday stated clearly that, he will fix the energy situation; highlighting a number of measures governments is implementing to end the power crisis.

According to him, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) that have been brought on board to ease the power situation could “inject 3,665 MW of power into our power transmission grid,” in the next five years.

Some of the IPPs he said include Sunon Asogli (Phase II, 360MW), Sunon Asogli (Coal fired – 750MW), CenPower (350MW), Jacobsen (360MW), Amandi (240MW), GE (1000MW), VRA (T4, 185MW) and VRA (KTPP, 220MW).

But, Mr. Anokye’s position as regards tapping water from the Ada River down to the Akobombo Dam to be able to power the turbines seem to be the best, as most VRA engineers accepted this fact.