President Akufo-Addo will today commission the 45kW Tsatsadu Micro Hydro Generating Station, located at Alavanyo-Abehenease in the Hohoe Municipal Assembly of the Volta Region.

This will be Ghana’s First Micro-Hydro Power Generating Station constructed by the Bui Power Authority under the Ministry of Energy’s renewable energy initiative.

According to a statement from Bui Power Authority, the 45kW Tsatsadu Micro Hydro Generating Station, situated on the Tsatsadu Waterfalls, is a run-of-river scheme, which did not require the formation of a reservoir to operate.

It consists of a concrete diversion weir, an intake structure, diversion channel, a forebay, steel penstock, a powerhouse and a transmission line which ties the electricity generated into the local distribution grid.

Importantly, the weir diverts part of the river flow through an intake channel into the diversion channel.

The diverted water goes through a 300mm diameter penstock to the base of the hill where the powerhouse, which houses the turbines and the generator, is located. The water drives the turbines and flows out through the tailrace channel and back into the downstream of the waterfall.

The Project, initially designed as a 30kW stand-alone system, was redesigned and upgraded to a 45kW grid connection system based on the outcome of additional studies. The 45kW Tsatsadu Micro Hydro Generating Station was constructed by local young Engineers of the Bui Power Authority.

The statement added that the implementation of the 45kW Tsatsadu Generating Station was co-funded by the Danish and Chinese governments through the Renewable Energy Technology Transfer (UNDP-RETT) Project.

The Bui Power Authority collaborated with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Network on Small Hydro Power of China (IN-SHP) and Ghanaian Energy Sector Agencies to execute the project.

Bui Power Authority expressed its appreciation for the support from the Paramount Chief and People of Alavanyo and the Foyer de Charité Catholic Retreat Centre in releasing the portion of their land required for the project.