Accra, Sept. 2, GNA - Ghana would have an extra 230 megawatts of electric power added to the national electricity grid in the next two to three years when Sino Hydro Corporation of China completes the construction of four dams in the Central and Western regions. This would mean there would be no lights-off since there would be adequate supply of electricity, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, said when he signed an agreement between Ghana, represented by Pato Power Co. Limited and Sino Hydro Corporation of China.

Under the agreement Sino Hydro would construct dams on the Pra River at Awisam in the Central Region, Hemang on the Ankobra River at Bonsaso, near Tarkwa and the Tano River in Tanoso in the Western Region. The project estimated at about 920 million dollars has also taken care on environmental concerns and issues, Mr Baah-Wiredu said. He said when completed Sino Hydro would hand the dams over to Pato Power Company Limited, a private organization, which would in turn hand it over to the Volta River Authority and Electricity Company of Ghana. "Never again should Ghana experience lights-off when the project is fully completed," Mr Baah-Wiredu said.

Mr William Oppong Bio, Chairman of Pato Power Co. Limited, said President Kufuor in the next few days would perform the sod cutting ceremony at the project sites.

He said as part of the project there would be construction of townships with schools and roads which would help improve the economic situation of people in the project sites. Mr Ding Zhengguo, Executive Deputy Managing Director, who signed the agreement on behalf of Sino hydro Corporation of China, said his company had over 50 years' experience in hydro electric and water conservancy in China and abroad. He expressed his company's commitment to develop hydro power projects in Ghana to supply new clean energy source for the benefit of Ghanaians.

"We have already signed the Bui hydro power project in Ghana and even before the effective date of commencement we have already mobilized a lot of equipment and engineers to start the site work substantially." Mr Ding announced that by the end of November this year, the river diversion closure of the Bui dam project, an important milestone, would be completed. Mr Ding promised quality work for the dam projects his company was handling in Ghana.