the Akossombo dam



The Ghanean Akossombo Dam is the biggest man-made lake all over the world. The Volta River Project had been started in 1961 and was completed five years later in 1966. Furthermore Lake Volta arises from the construction of the dam across the River Volta, at the South of Ajena and stretches on a 400 km length. Akossombo's hydrological basin represents 8500 square kilometres.
Sébastian Harlander

21 people died during the construction. They used raw materials like stones, clay and rocks. The rock masses which surrounded the dam made the supply of rocks easier. To blast the latter they used dynamite which was brought by AMPREDILO ( the Italian company which built the dam.
Stevie Chekete
The large quantity of water in Lake Volta is needed to generate electricity. To produce electricity the force of water is essential. In fact a vast quantity of water seeps through the pipes and pushes the turbines which spin. The rotating movement of the turbines drives the generators which produce electricity. Consequently this production of electric power is called Hydro Electric Power.
Sébastian Harlander

The dam uses 6 turbines with a magnet on. The water goes on the turbines which turn rapidly in the contact of water (115 times a minute), makes the magnet free and the generator on the top turns. Therefore electricity is produced by the electro-magnetic force which is captured by the transformer and is led to the power station. The 6 units can produce 912 megawatts.
Stevie Chekete

Owing to the construction of the hydro-electrical power plant more than 80000 persons who used to live at the current location of the dam had to move. It goes without saying that most of them were rehoused in new villages (52). All the same, the Akossombo hydro-electrical supplied the greatest part of Ghana and is also exported to Togo and Benin.
Sébastian Harlander

The dam produces much electricity , it goes to Togo Benin, Ivory Coast and Burkina-Faso and all over the country. However there are companies which take much electricity : the Volta Aluminium Company is the main consumer of Akossombo's power. It takes about 213 of the total output. Other principal consumers are the ECG (Electricity Company of Ghana) and the mining companies.
Maria Detchissambou

Even if the Dam provides electricity, we can remember a power cut period in 1998 in Benin. In fact due to a drought that year the water level was too low to allow the usual production of electricity.
Clara Wozufia

In spite of the project cost 70 million pounds, the power plant allows the creation of 2200 jobs opportunities in Ghana and 1400 in Akossombo; Those working in the area, as engineers, managers or technicians who supervise the production of electricity are used to living there. Because of the ceaseless production the workers have to work around the clock in shifts (6 to 2P.M., 2 to 10 P.M., 10P.M. to 6A.M.) That reminds us about the situation of coal miners in Northern France where the miners were extracting coal without respite.
Sébastian Harlander

In the Akossombo Dam people work for a long time. There are 180 male engineers but only 2 female. They have no holidays, therefore all the employees are lodged close to the dam. The working conditions are good. In fact they have their own security( day and night) and the hospital is free. But there aren't many accidents. Furthermore there are 2 trade unions which are fighting for better work conditions. Indeed employees don't want to pay the electricity bills, they wish to have a raise, maternity leaves…
Stevie Chekete



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