July will be a make-or-break month for Ghana’s energy crisis and consumers will have to brace for the worst or heave a huge sigh of relief if it rains quickly enough

This conclusion was contained in an analysis presented by VRA's Planning and Business Development Officer, Kofi Ellis at Joy FM’s Power Forum discussing the ‘Now’ solutions to Ghana’s three-year power crisis.

The minimum water level needed for Akosombo Dam to produce power is 240ft but the level hovers dangerously around 244ft.

Water levels from Akosombo Dam

Already this low level has forced the shutdown of two out of the six turbines at the dam and left the four others generating 135 megawatts instead of 170megawatts at maximum capacity.

“If we don’t economize [with the water levels]” and July rains delay, “then we are in serious trouble”, Kofi Ellis explained to a packed audience Wednesday at the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT.

In total, Akosombo is giving us 540megawatts.This is in sharp contrast to its better days when it was producing 1,020megawatts.

The Aksosombo dam could see worse days if the rainy season, which usually begins in July, is delayed. Energy Minister Emmanuel Kofi-Buah said last year, Ghanaians should start praying for rains.

Kofi Ellis suggested that on paper, Ghana's power crisis should not exist because with 2,800megawatts installed generation capacity, Ghana's demand of 2,100 should be a light matter for power generation plants.

He was however quick to add that failure of some of the sources of energy to produce at maximum capacity, means the country will suffer a while longer.