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CHINA GOES GLOBAL PROJECT:
China’s Engagement in the Bui
Hydropower Project, Ghana
Prof. Paul Yankson, Prof. Alex Asiedu and Dr. Kwadwo Owusu
Department of Geography and Resource Development
University of Ghana, Legon
Outline
 Introduction
 Background to the Project
 Cost and Benefits
 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)
 Aspects of China’s Role and Footprint in the Project
 Management of the Project
 What has been achieved so far?
 Conclusion
Bui Hydropower Project-Construction as at 2010
Introduction
Principal Installed Electricity Generation Capacity in Ghana
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Hydroelectricity: Akosombo (1.020 MW) y Kpong (160 MW)
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Two Biogas Plants (550 MW) in Aboadze, Takoradi
SunonAsogli Power (Ghana) 200 MW
Tema Thermal 1 Power Plant (110 MW)
Tema Thermal 2 Power Plant (49.5 MW)
Mines Reserve Plant Diesel, (80 MW) (Energy Commission, 2012)
Statistics for the Demand and Consumption of Energy in Ghana
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In 1997, consumption was 7.235 Gwh and will increase to 11.953 GWh by 2020 (ERM,
2006)
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Annual rate of increase in consumption in Ghana is 6%.
Ghana needs to increase her power generation from 1067MW from 1997 to 1899MW in
2020 (Ibid.)
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There was the need to increase the supply of electricity in Ghana in
 Urban areas from 78 to 82%
 Rural areas from 24% to 28% (Gordon, 2006)
THE BUI HYDROPOWER PROJECT
Background
 Prospect to construct a dam at the Bui Gorge has been explored for
several years.
 Albert Kitson found the suitability of the gorge for constructing a
100 and 200 foot dam. He envisaged this dam to provide source of
power for future railway to the northern part of Ghana.
 Other surveys conducted in the area were:
– J. S. Zuhk hydroprojeckt of former USSR in 1966
– Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC) in 1976.
– Coyne et Bellier of France in 1995 which was revised in 2006
Location
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The Bui Hydropower Dam is being
constructed at the Bui Gorge on the Black
Volta River.
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The Black Volta is an interstate river basin
shared among Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote
d’Ivoire and Mali.
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The Project is located in the north-western
part of Ghana, the regional boundary
between Northern and Brong Ahafo
Regions.

It is located very close to the Bui National
Park created in 1971 under the Wildlife
Reserve Regulation (L.I. 710 of 1971)
Description
The project is made up of constructing of a 1,000,000 m3 of Roller
Compacted Concrete (RCC) gravity dam with a minimum height of 110
metres.
It will have two saddle dams located about 500 m and 1 km from the
main dam.
Power will be generated from a surface powerhouse at the dam on its left
bank.
The installed capacity of the turbine generator units will be 400MW
Actual Construction
The final ground broke in 2007 when the Government of Ghana signed an
Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with Sinohydro of
China to construct the dam
Project Phase I
•Establishing of temporary camp for
constructional facilities
•Construction of access roads connecting
the dam site and the quarry area.
•Diverting the course of the river channel.
•Batching plant for concrete production
and establishing a permanent explosive
magazine.
Project Phase II
•The erection of a Roller Compacted Concrete
(RCC) Batching and crushing plant
•Transmission line works.
•Construction of a downstream permanent
bridge.
•Foundation excavation and treatment of the
substructure and subsequent erection of the
superstructure of the dam.
Cost and Benefits
The estimated cost of the project is US$622 million. However, as a result of global
economic upheavals and unexpected works, an additional amount of US$168 million
will be required to complete the project.
Some perceived benefits:
•The 400MW power supply from the dam will augment the power from Akosombo
and Kpong Dams.
•Potential export of electricity to Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali under the
West Africa Power Pool Project (WAPP) arrangement.
•Construction of the Bui City and agro-tourism
•Construction and improvement of social infrastructure like roads, schools,
hospitals, fishing harbour and irrigation scheme (30,000 hectares of land).
•Employment generation for the native especially during the construction phase.
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)
 Construction of the dam is governed by international and national environmental
legislations and guidelines
 According to the ESIA, the dam will have many environmental, social and
economic consequences in the project area.
•
The dam’s reservoir of 444km2 will inundate vegetation and land resources located below
183 metres upstream.
•
At full supply level (FSL) of the dam, the reservoir could flood not less than 21% of the
existing Bui National Park.
•
The reservoir will also flood the habitat and feeding grounds of fauna species like the last
remains of the black hippopotamus, causing them to migrate.
•
The project will also affect many villages. Those directly affected were Battor/Akanyakrom,
Bui Village, Dam Site, Brewohodi, Lucene/Loga, Dokokyina and Agbegikuro.
Aspects of China’s Role and Footprints in the Project
China has played a pivotal role in the on-going construction of the Bui Hydropower Dam.
Finance: Out of the estimated project cost of US$622 million, US$562 is sought from The
Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM-Bank).
The breakdown amount is as follows:
263.5 million US dollars Concessional Loan from the Government of China
298.5 million US dollars Buyer`s Credit from the Exim Bank
Construction: The engineering works involved in the construction of the project is being
undertaken by a Chinese Engineering Company, Sinohydro.
However, the consultancy services is being provided by Coyne et Bellier Consultancy Services
of France.
The Chinese ambassador to Ghana and his wife on 1st December, 2011 presented 20 bicycles,
20 sewing machines, 10 footballs, 50 mosquito nets, 2 printers and 20 bags of rice to support the
dam affected communities (GNA, 3rd December, 2011).
Management of the Project
The Bui Dam Secretariat was created in 2001 to see through the operations involved in
desk preparatory stage.
An Act of Parliament (Act 740)of 2007 established the Bui Power Authority (BPA) to
form the main body in charge of managing the dam.
Some of its functions are:
•Managing the implementation of the Bui Hydropower Project.
•Procurement and construction of the dam and its appurtenant structures.
•Designing, manufacturing and installing the plant.
•Designing, manufacturing and constructing of about 260km of power transmission
lines.
•Generating and supplying of electricity for the country.
•Developing a new city, Bui City.
•Impounding of the waters of the Black Volta River and managing the lake to be formed.
What has been achieved so far and what is left
to be achieved?
Dam Construction
About 90% of the construction process has so far been achieved.
Activities involved in the phase one started in January 2008 and had since been
completed.
Activities involved in phase two have already started and still ongoing.
Resettlement
All the phases involved in the resettlement have been completed.
There are few residents still in Dokokyina who have refused to be resettled.
Conclusion
The realisation of the Bui Hydropower Project which for many years
has been on the drawing board is presently one of the ‘darling’ projects
in Ghana.
It was the most significant product from the bilateral and
technological corporation between Ghana and China until the recent
approval of 3billion US dollar loan to Ghana .
Upon completion, the project will play an important role in helping to
address Ghana’s energy short falls