• Reference: P-GH-EAZ-002
• Approval date: 02/08/2010
• Start date: 25/05/2012
• Appraisal Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: OngoingOnGo
• Implementing Agency: Water Resource Commission WRC
• Location: Volta Basin in Ghana

The scope of the project consists of two components: Component I: is the carrying out of the reoperation and optimization study which is to produce a technically and economically feasible reoperation plan which will retain existing benefits of Akosombo and Kpong operations; and demonstrate the efficacy of the resulting reoperation plan through experimental flow releases; and to document and share the results of the techniques and the lessons learnt widely for application to the current inventory of major dams and to the next generation of dams to make them more environmentally compatible. Component II: involves the establishment of the required project management arrangement to ensure effective project implementation that will ensure effective project implementation to restore downstream ecosystems and livelihoods.

The purpose of the project is to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of a technique for reoptimizing the operations of the Akosombo and Kpong hydropower dams to reintroduce (or at least improve or enhance) downstream livelihoods and ecosystems, while maintaining, and indeed enhancing, power generation output and reliability.

The project which is unique is one of a suite of regional reoperation investigations of a Global Dam Reoptimization Program to demonstrate a toolbox of techniques that can be widely applied to dams to make them more environmentally sustainable. This project will contribute learning on the efficacy of regional grid integration to enable rescheduling of the operations of major hydropower dams. It will also demonstrate the efficacy of utilizing floodplain storage in conjunction with reservoirs to reduce flood risks and restore aquatic habitats. 11 Thus, this project has the dual objective of improving the environmental performance of the major infrastructure on the Lower Volta River and also of contributing to a global process of shared learning. It is expected that this work to result in a transformation in how dams are sited, designed and operated around the world to allow rivers to once again function as dynamic biohydrologic systems rather than as water delivery channels.

The project will investigate the technical and economic feasibility of a technique for reoptimizing the operations of major multi-purpose hydropower dams to restore (or at least improve or enhance) downstream livelihoods and ecosystems, while maintaining, and indeed enhancing, power generation output and reliability. The project will then demonstrate the efficacy of the resulting reoperation plan through experimental flow releases. The results of the techniques and the lessons learnt will be documented and shared widely for application to the current inventory of major dams and to the next generation of dams to make them more environmentally compatible

HOLLHUBER Franz - AWTF

Finance source	Amount
AWF	UAC 1,608,994
Delta	UAC 5
Total	UAC 1,608,989