Bui Dam to cost 600 million dollars - Dr Nduom

Accra, Feb. 10, GNA- The Minister of Energy Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom on Tuesday said the development of the Bui hydro power project is estimated to cost about 600 million US dollars.

He said the government has set up the Bui Development Secretariat to oversee the development of the Bui Dam.

"Funds are being sought to commence the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which is estimated to cost 1.5 US dollars". Dr. Nduom was answering a question in Parliament by Mr. Johnson Aseidu Nketiah, NDC- Wenchi West as to what plans the Ministry of Energy has for the construction of the proposed Bui Dam.

The Minister said the Bui Development Secretariat has been discussing the development of the project with some developers and investors who have expressed interest in the project.

In another development, Mr. Nketiah wanted to know whether approval for the inclusion of Brohani, Badu-Tainso and Seikwa-Bepoase in the phase-IV of the Self Help Electrification Project (SHEP) has been withdrawn and if so why?

The Minister said the communities have not been withdrawn from the SHEP-IV but rather have been included in the overall list of communities under the SHEP-IV programme, which is earmarked to connect over 2,000 communities to the national electricity grid.

Dr. Nduom said the communities would be considered under the subsequent phases of the SHEP-IV in line with the implementation schedule when the necessary funding was secured.

To a question as to when Adiewoso, Tetrem, Kadadwen, Simpa, Dompim, Bonsa and Tarkwa Banso all in the Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency would have their transformers changed from single phase to three phases, the Minister said it has been the Ministry's policy to review all on-going as well as future electrification projects to three-phase power supply in some communities throughout the country.

He said the communities in the Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency would have their single-phase changed to three-phase by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Volta River Authority (VRA) as and when required. He said ECG plans to upgrade the single-phase network in Dompim to three-phase soon in view of the water supply project being undertaken for the community.