Akosombo & Kpong Dams Re-operation & Re-optimisation
Re-operating and re-optimising Ghana’s Akosombo and Kpong dams to balance hydropower generation with the health of downstream Lower Volta ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
The challenge
The Akosombo and Kpong dams transformed Ghana’s power system, but decades of operation altered the flow regime of the Lower Volta, with consequences for downstream ecosystems, fisheries and riparian communities. Re-operating the dams to restore ecological function — without undermining their role in power generation — posed a complex water-management challenge.
Our approach
As project manager for the African Development Bank-funded study under the African Water Facility, Rev. Prof. Ing. Eric Antwi Ofosu coordinated project activities and partners on the re-operation and re-optimisation of the two dams.
The work examined how the timing and pattern of releases could be adjusted to better reflect the natural flood pulse, weighing hydropower output against downstream environmental and social needs.
Outcomes
The study set out re-operation and re-optimisation options for the Akosombo and Kpong dams aimed at improving downstream ecological and livelihood outcomes alongside power generation.
It provides a basis for managing the Lower Volta as a connected system, in which dam operations support — rather than degrade — the river’s ecosystems and the communities they sustain.
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