Ghana expects to increase power generation by 350 megawatts by 2017.
This represents approximately 10% of Ghana’s total installed generation capacity and about 20% of the country’s thermal generation capacity.
[contextly_sidebar id=”kfLa95VobFDYx7tQSDKFku6mU4pEt7Lu”]Ghana is currently struggling to meet growing energy demand leading to load shedding.
The Vice President, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur who represented President John Mahama who is away on a official assignment, officially cut sod last Thursday at a ceremony to mark commencement of Cenpower Generation Company Limited’s (‘Cenpower’) Kpone Independent Power Plant (‘KIPP’), located at Kpone, near Tema.
Cenpower’s KIPP project comprises a 350 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (‘CCGT’) power plant, a 161kV substation, fuel supply, storage and treatment infrastructure as well as Working Capital for fuel.
When it comes on stream in 2017, the 350MW CCGT plant will be a critical base-load component in meeting Ghana’s growing electricity demand.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice President Amissah-Arthur, said government is committed to providing a reliable, efficient and a sustainable energy sector for the growth of the economy.
“The government energy development priority focuses on increasing access to energy in all household and productive sectors in order to facilitate the implementation of economic growth in the country,” he said.
Founder and Chairman of Cenpower Generation Company Limited, Sam Brew-Butler said the ceremony represents another major achievement that will increase Ghana’s energy supply needs and facilitate the country’s economic growth.
“When the plant becomes operational in 2017; it would be a critical base-load component in meeting Ghana’s growing electricity demand accounting for approximately 10 per cent of Ghana’s total installed generation capacity and about 20 per cent of the country’s thermal generation capacity.”
Meanwhile, partners for the project including Japan-based power producer Sumitomo Corporations were optimistic of the project’s promising prospects and hope it will help solve Ghana’s power situation.
By: Norvan Acquah Hayford/citifmonline.com/Ghana