‘Dumsor’: TICO to add 330MW by June

330 Megawatts of power will come on stream from the combined turbines of the TICO plant by the end of June this year, the plant’s Managing Director Nana Osafo Kantanka announced Thursday during a working visit by President John Mahama.

"On behalf of the workforce of TAQA, TAPCo, VRA and all our partners, we are committing that come the end of June 2015, TICO will be producing 330MW of power", Mr Osafo Kantanka said.

TICO is currently generating 105MW from its second gas turbine (SC 2), according to Osafo Kantanka.

The other turbine, SC 1, which has a capacity of 110MW has been shut down for maintenance.

The other plant in the enclave managed by the Volta River Authority’s TAPCo is producing an average of about 250MW.

According to Mr Osafo Kantanka, the SC 1 turbine is undergoing total refurbishment and rehabilitation to transform it into a "virtually brand new machine, which will take us the journey of another 25 years."

He announced that work is almost 95% complete on the new steam turbine under construction, from which another 110MW is expected.

In his remarks, President Mahama said gas is now available in the Aboadze enclave from Ghana Gas, and expressed the hope that when all the maintenance work is completed, "and both TICO and TAPCo are working properly, there will be enough gas to fuel them, so that there will be reliable service."

President Mahama said when the ongoing repair works on plants in both Tema and Takoradi are completed, and gas is also available, there will be an increase in supply to keep up with the fast growing demand for electricity.

President Mahama also inspected the site for the systems to be installed for the 250MW Ameri-Energy/ APR emergency power badge.