Impact of climate change and variability on hydropower in Ghana

Ghana continues to rely heavily on hydropower for her electricity needs.This hydropower reliance cannot ensure sustainable development since there is a strong association between hydropower production and climate variability and change including ENSO-related lake water levels reduction. Using regression analysis this study found that rainfall variability accounted for 21% of the inter-annual fluctuations in power generation from the Akosombo Hydroelectric power station between 1970 and 1990 while ENSO and lake water level accounted for 72.4% of the inter-annual fluctuations between 1991 and 2010. There is therefore the need to diversify power production to attain energy security in Ghana.