Mr Samuel Kofi Ahiave Dzamesi, the Chief Executive Officer, Bui Power Authority, said the Authority would increase the generating capacity of the Tsatsadu Generating Station at Alavanyo in the Volta Region by 75 kilowatts (KW) from July/August this year.
He said the 75kw added to the 45Kw-generating facility would give a total of 120 KW, depending on the outcome of a feasibility study being carried out.
Mr Dzamesi made this known when he toured the Generating Station and said it was commendable the Bui Power Authority was supervising the facility, the first micro-hydro dam in the Volta Region.
He said paying off the capital of the facility would take 10 to 15 years if the Station was operated on 45KW but could decrease to seven to eight years if increased to about 120KW.
Mr Dzamesi said the Authority had put in the budget for funding the increment in generating capacity adding that it also depended on the payment from ECG according to power generators including Bui Power.
The Tsatsadu Generating Station was operating on a run-off river unlike a reservoir dam and the advantage was that there was no need to relocate communities before it became operationalized, he said.
Mr Dzamesi said the Bui Power Authority was working with the Member of Parliament for Hohoe, Mr John-Peter Amewu, to construct a centre of excellence for the town (Abehenease) as part of the Authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility.
Togbe Komla Kunde V, Chief of Abehenease, called on the Authority to plant trees around the river to protect it and prolong the lifespan of the dam.
He said it was worrying that construction works on the centre had not commenced after grounds were broken two years ago and called for work to begin for the Authority to again the people’s trust.
Togbe Kunde said the Mini Hydro site, the Tsatsadu Waterfall, and the Convent Foyer de Charitie were great tourists’ attractions and appealed for a bus to facilitate movement to and from those sites.
