Ghana will soon add 155 megawatts of power from solar energy to support its energy mix.
The PhotoVoltaic (PV) plant is expected to be completed in the next two years and would be funded by the Mere Power Nzema limited (MPNL).
The company has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Electricity Company of Ghana for the 320 million dollar project near the villages of Awiaso and Akpandue in the Ellembelle district of the Western region.
In an interview with citifmonline.com at a workshop for the media in Accra on harnessing solar power to increase national energy stock, Project Director for Mere Power Nzema limited, Paul Forjoe said the project is expected to begin in September this year pending government’s commitment.
”Financing is in progress, it has been secured with a pre-condition of getting a consent agreement from government,” he said.
The 155 megawatts peak solar PV plant will consist of over 600,000 solar modules.
Mr. Forjoe also said all things being equal, ”we expect a first power generation in the first quarter of 2015 and we expect in a sequential way, month by month to add onto the power that is being generated onto the grid.”
”So we will start from zero and over a 24 month period we will move from zero to 155 megawatts,” he stated.
The MPNL Director said the additional energy support into the energy mix of Ghana will make the energy system more efficient and promote the growth of the economy.
He added that he was confident that MPNL will receive the necessary government consent to enable the project to take off for the benefit of the country.
By: Evans Effah/citifmonline.com/Ghana