Stable Power, driving industrialization agenda- President
President Nana Addo has said that government’s industrialization agenda is given a boost due to the availability of a more stable power generation capacity experienced in the country over the past three years. In his view, prudent decisions have been made to secure a more efficient and reliable power mix for both industries, households and other users.
President Nana Addo on Saturday 7 December, 2019, turned the valves for the use of natural gas to power the 450 megawatt Karpowership at the Sekondi Naval base. This, as deemed, a remarkable feet by government, provides a more cheaper and cost saving alternative in energy generation by the Karadeniz Powership, since it would switch from the usage of Heavy Fuel Oil [HFO] to indigenous gas which is being supplied by the Ghana National Gas Company Limited under a Gas Transportation Agreement with Karpowership.
With a gas pipeline interconnection from the Takoradi Regulating and Metering Station in Aboadze, through an Onshore Terminal Station at Essipong, the 450 Karpowership, is guaranteed of a 90 million standard cubic feet of gas per day for energy generation to augment supply to the national grid.
Noting from the success of this project and the potential the facility has in supporting industrial growth, the President stated that “this helps bring down the cost of electricity, saves our country, and makes it possible for us to look at a secure source of powering the transformation of our country’s economy and for the industrial development of Ghana. That is our main goal.”
President Nana Addo noted that the existence of a more stable, reliable and affordable power is a key ingredient in driving the country from a state of ‘mere producers and exporters of raw materials’ to value addition and wealth creation. He mentioned that the country is on its right foot towards transformative development.
“The business in Ghana where we go forward and stumble and then go back, we want to put that behind us by making intelligent arrangements in all sectors of our national life, especially in our energy sector, so that from now on when we are going forward, we can keep on going forward and forward and forward,” the President added.
Minister for Energy, John Peter Amewu underscored the technical and engineering proficiencies and management invested in the relocation of the Karpowership from Tema to Takoradi, which he noted, resulted in no power fluctuations or lapses, as it was experienced years back.
“The relocation of the Karpowership from Tema to Takoradi, Mr President was done with a high level energy management. Gone were the days when we were told that the pipeline from Nigeria to Ghana was broken as a result of a ship activity. What Ghana saw during that period was three years in darkness. Mr President, I am happy to state that under leadership, 450MW Karpowership was relocated from Tema to Takoradi without a single notice in the energy transmission system. This is as a result of a good energy management system put in place by the various sector agencies” he explained.
He commended the Ghana Grid Company Limited, Electricity Company of Ghana, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Ghana National Gas Company Limited, and other sector agencies, including the Traditional Authorities of Sekondi Takoradi for supporting the initiative.
