General News of Thursday, 2 October 2014

Source: GNA

Turkish delegation checks out Osagyefo barge

A high-powered Turkish delegation from Karadeniz Powership has visited the Osagyefo Barge at Effasu in the Western Region to conduct feasibility studies on the installation of a third 225 megawatts electricity barge at the facility.

The programme forms part of the Government’s measures to arrest the current power crisis facing the nation.

Mr. Steven Doku, Director in charge of Engineering, at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, told GNA at Effasu in an interview that it was the Government’s decision to import power barges from Turkey for installation across the country to meet the current energy deficit.

Mr. Doku said two of such barges would be installed at Tema Fishing Harbour and Sekondi Naval Base, and another one at Effasu barge.

The Osagyefo Barge was originally a 125MW barge-mounted gas turbine electric power generating station. It is designed to burn either natural gas or diesel fuel.

The construction of the Barge, ordered in 1995 in Italy, was completed in 1999 to produce natural gas to generate electricity to supplement the National electricity grid.

Its operation has over the years been fraught with challenges, including financial and legal ones.