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Finally, Osagyefo barge to produce power
Accra, March 3, Ghanadot/GNA –
Government’s efforts at ensuring increased and reliable
energy supply is set to receive a big boost within the next
few weeks as the Osagyefo barge begins power generation.
Test runs of its small generators are currently being
carried out in preparation for a switch-on of the two main
generators.
Mr Philip David Elders, Chief Executive Officer of Balkan
Energy, operators of the barge, sited at Efasu in the
Western Region, broke the news when he paid a courtesy call
on President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu on
Monday.
The Company has for the past six months been working to get
the barge, which has been sitting idle for sometime now,
into operation.
He said initially, they would be generating 125 megawatts of
electricity.
In course of time they would be adding two news plants to
raise the production capacity to 600 megawatts.
The Osagyefo barge, purchased with a Japanese loan to
improve the energy generation mix of the country, would be
fired by gas.
President Kufuor said the Government was eager to see the
plant put to use to bring economic benefits to the nation.
“Let’s get this source of power operating for our mutual
benefit”, he said.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the Global Health Programme, Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation led by Dr Tachi Yamada, its
President, was also at the Castle, to pay a courtesy call on
President Kufuor.
The Foundation is involved in guinea worm eradication and
malaria prevention in the country.
President Kufuor said the nation was grateful for the
humanitarian work it was doing.
He suggested to the Foundation to consider joining in the
school-feeding programme, which was now being implemented on
pilot basis in the country.
This, he said, was because quality nutrition was an
effective way of promoting good health.
GNA
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