|
|
Veep launches 132-megawatt power plant
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Vice President John Dramani Mahama, cut the sod for the
commencement of work on additional 132 megawatts combined
cycle power plant, at the Thermal Power Station at Aboadze
near Takoradi.
The Vice President, who was assisted by Nana Kweku Binnah
III, Omanhene of Shama Traditional Area, to perform the
ceremony, said contract for the project was estimated at
$185,359,651 and it was being financed with a loan from the
Government of Canada and the Societé General of Canada and
Investment Bank.
He said government wanted to improve thermal power supply
from its present 2,000 mega wats to 5,000 mega wats by 2015
to support the country's socio-economic development.
Vice President Mahama said government alone could not
achieve this target with its own resources and would welcome
private sector participation in the development of the
country's electricity base to make energy available for
domestic and industrial use.
He said government has formulated a transparent framework
within which private investors could operate and this was
available at the Energy Commission.
Vice President Mahama said government was considering means
of correcting disparities in regional distribution of energy
through the National Electrification Scheme.
He said the National Energy Accessibility Rate was 67 per
cent and the Western Regional Energy Accessibility Rate
which was 50 per cent was below the national average.
Vice President Mahama said government was endeavouring to
improve the national rate and within the next three years,
about 1,000 communities including communities in the Western
Region would be provided with electricity.
He said government would construct hydro projects at various
parts of the country in addition to the Bui Dam which was
under construction to add 400 MW capacity to the existing
power generation capacity.
Dr Kwabena Donkor, Deputy Minister of Energy, said the low
electricity price regime based on reliable and cheap
hydro-generation must be regarded as a thing of the past if
the country was to improve on the availability, reliability
and security of power supply for industrial and domestic
use.
He said in the 1960.s and 1970.s, when power generation in
the country was mainly from the Akosombo Dam, the country
was able to produce and sell power for domestic and
industrial use at very low prices.
Dr. Donkor said currently, there was a generation mix with
about 50 per cent from thermal generation sources, using
expensive crude oil and expensive diesel fuel with serious
implications for cost of electricity generation and pricing.
He said: "The current generation mix throws up a production
cost that is reflective of today's crude oil pricing that
has hovered in the 80 United States dollars band for the
last couple of months".
Dr. Donkor said the gravity of power sector generation
challenge was exacerbated by the obsolescence of
transmission and distribution infrastructure.
He said transformers and associated equipment manufactured
and installed in the early 1950's still formed the backbone
of transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Dr. Donkor said the nation under invested in the power
sector after the 1960's, especially in transmission and
distribution equipment and systems.
He said the transmission system was undergoing reinforcement
to improve reliability and reduce vulnerability of the
network, expand capacity network to support load growth and
modernize the entire transmission network to meet
internationally accepted standards of operation.
Dr. Donkor said the people have to collectively confront the
high losses experienced in the distribution chain and while
increased investment would reduce technical losses, the
theft of power through illegal connections culminating in
commercial losses must be addressed.
He called on security agencies, community groups and
patriotic minded individuals to help to bring this under
control by arresting and reporting the perpetuators who live
in their communities.
Dr. Donkor said such commercial losses added to individual
bills of consumers and it was, therefore, in their interest
to help arrest this situation.
Mr. Kweku Andoh Awotwi, Chief Chief of the Volta River
Authority (VRA), said the plant would consist of four gas
turbines, four heat recovery stream generator and two steam
turbines.
He said the gas turbines would run on light crude oil,
diesel oil and natural gas and the main contractor for the
expansion project was the Canadian Commercial Corporation.
Mr Awotwi said the VRA remained committed to fulfilling its
mandate of supplying electricity for socio-economic
development in the country and the West Africa Sub-region.
He said the Takoradi Thermal Power Project, undertaken by
the VRA, to supplement hydro sources of generation at
Akosombo and Kpong, has contributed to achieving its
corporate goal of ensuring efficient and reliable power
supply.
Mr Derren Schemmer, Canadian High Commission in Ghana, said
Ghana was the first country in the sub-region to benefit
from his country's economic assistance.
He said many Canadian companies wanted to do business in the
country because of the government's good policies and good
governance.
Ghanadot
|
