Instead, the dam is designed to regulate the flow of the Sanaga River in order to increase energy production from existing and proposed downstream hydropower plants serving the southern electricity grid and the country’s single largest electricity consumer, the Alucam aluminum smelter. 
Badala yake, bwana limebuniwa kudhibiti maji ya mto Sanaga ili kuongeza uzalishaji wa umeme kwenye mashine za kufua umeme zilizopo tayari na zile zinazokusudiwa kujengwa ili kutosheleza mkondo wa umeme wa kusini pamoja na mgodi wa machimbo ya madini ya aluminiam wa Alucm unaotumia umeme zaidi nchini humo.