Aboadze Thermal Plant beats Akosombo Dam

Accra, Oct. 16, GNA- The Aboadze Thermal Plant in the Western Region is currently the number one producer of power in Ghana, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Energy announced on Thursday.

"Today the Aboadze Thermal Plant, in Western Region produces more power than the Akosombo Dam. Efforts are underway to secure about 150 million dollars to enable an additional 110 megawatts steam plant component to complete the configuration of the plant," he said. Speaking at the "Meet the Press" series on Thursday, the Minister said government is to conduct a feasibility study into the development of an oil refinery in the Western Region to enable the country to export oil to neighbouring countries.

"This new refinery that will produce 100,000 barrels per day will be bigger than the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) that currently produces 45,000 barrels a day," he said.

This means that there would be an investment of more than 1.2 billion dollars over a three to four year period as well as creating 500 jobs in Sekondi-Takoradi municipality and its environs, the Minster explained.

Dr Nduom also referred to the Osagyefo Power Barge at Sekondi Naval Base currently being considered for reactivation and said if completed in 2004, it would save the country from importing power from Cote d'Ivoire.

"If the barge was in use today we may not need to import power from Cote d'Ivoire as many of us know that we now owe over 50 million dollars of imported power that VRA has not been able to pay for," he said.

Dr Nduom said 1,000 communities nationwide would have access to electricity through the National Electrification Programme (NEP) as part of the support for the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS). He said that out of 164 communities identified with uncompleted electrification project, government would help provide power to 60 per cent of these communities through the collaborative efforts of the ECG and the district assemblies.

Dr Ndoum said a committee has been set up to speed the merger process of the ECG and the Northern Electrification Department of the VRA to make it single Electricity Company in Ghana.