US embassy cable - 03ACCRA835

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VALCO SHUTS DOWN LAST POTLINE

Identifier: 03ACCRA835
Wikileaks: View 03ACCRA835 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Accra
Created: 2003-04-30 17:02:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: EFIN ENRG GH ENIV
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ACCRA 000835 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS OPIC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN, ENRG, GH, ENIV 
SUBJECT: VALCO SHUTS DOWN LAST POTLINE 
 
1. David Thomas, the Managing Director of Volta Aluminum 
Company Limited (VALCO), contacted Econoff to announce VALCO 
will voluntarily curtail its one operating potline effective 
May 5. The company took the decision, according to Thomas, in 
light of the current 237.80 foot level of Volta Lake. Given 
this level, said Thomas, the Volta River Authority (VRA), 
which provides hydropower from Akosombo Dam to VALCO, would 
probably have to curtail VALCO's power supplies in the coming 
weeks, using force majeure. According to Thomas, the 
curtailment by VALCO will provide the VRA with some 
flexibility in powering the rest of the electrical grid. 
Under its contract, according to Thomas, VALCO will reserve 
the right to obtain power later in the year when the lake has 
somewhat recovered. VALCO sees minimal impact on its current 
workforce and hopes to resume operations later this year. 
VALCO hopes this gesture is seen as a good faith effort to 
assist Ghana during this power crisis. 
YATES 

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