Ghana will soon benefit from a 900 million U.S dollar thermal power generation plant which would provide up to 660 megawatt (mw) of electricity to industries and homes.

This follows a power purchase agreement reached between the Canadian Energy Solutions Consortium Inc. (CESCI), the Ministry of Energy and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in May this year for the former to build, own and operate the 660mw natural gas-fired thermal generation plant.
The facility will be sited at Barikuma in the Atwima Nwabiagya district of the Ashanti Region on a 102 acre of land provided by the Asantehene Otumfou Osei Tutu II.
The project consists of the thermal power plant and the extension of a natural gas pipeline from Takoradi to the location of the facility. The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) will be responsible for the gas pipeline construction.
It is hoped that the gas pipeline will make natural gas available to other industries in the region and promote additional industrial and economic development.
At a press conference in Kumasi to announce the “good news”, Mr. Jim Mensah, CEO of CESCI told media personnel that he was excited about the project which would compliment power already generated from other existing sources.
He thinks that a project such nature is long over due in the country and considering the its history of industrialization, the Ashanti region needed a power generation plant.
He said the erratic power supply over the past years and the recent power crisis which was as a result of the low levels of the Akosombo hydro power dam has scared many investors from the country, especially the northern parts.
Construction and actual work on the project is expected to last up to three years before power is transmitted to homes, industries, schools and other businesses.
Mr. Mensah who is a trained mechanical engineer with Canada based KGS group said the thermal power generation plant was developed by himself and other Ghanaians overseas for the benefit of the country.
He disclosed that a number of international development and commercial banks and other investors are providing the colossal 900 million dollars for the project and he is hopeful that, the recent financial crisis facing the West will not have any adverse effect on their plans. The CEO said his group had undertaken an environmental assessment of the project and was convinced that the facility would not affect the environment in any way.
Apart from the power to be generated, the project will bring in its wake other benefits to the inhabitants of the location and the country as whole, he added.
Giving reasons for the choice of Barikuma, which is 13 miles from Kumasi, Jim said the site is near the Ofin River and which will be the source of make-up water for the heat recovery steam generator and other water requirement for the facility.
The site is also located between two main transmission lines from Kumasi to Brong Ahafo and the Upper regions.
“The location being outside of the capital city (Accra) and the regional capital of Kumasi, qualifies for 50% tax rebate which could be used to offset the additional cost of building power plant in Barikuma”.
The community of Barikuma would also benefit from the construction of a school for children there to have a very good start in life and a state of the art health centre and a recreational facility.
According to Mr. Mensah, it is his desire to use the project to fight and eradicate poverty in the rural communities and make life meaningful for the disadvantaged in society considering the fact that he came from a similar background.
He paid tribute to minister of state at the Finance Ministry, Dr. Anthony Osei Akoto, the MPs for Bosome Freho and Atwima Nwabiagya constituencies in the Ashanti region Hon Yaw Ofori-Kuregu and Hon Benito Owusu Bio respectively for their contribution in CESCI reaching an agreement with the government.
Ghana currently produces 1750mw of electric power from three sources namely the Akosombo, the Kpong hydro stations and the Takoradi thermal plant although demand has grown by up to 200% over the last 40 years.
At a demand of 7% to 10% per year the country's energy production should reach 5000mw in the next ten years and it is for this reason that independent power producers are needed to fill in the gaps left by government.
(Source: allafrica.com)