Karpowership, a Turkish power ship maker which builds floating power stations, says it is in discussions with the Electricity Company of Ghana to supply an interim 120-Megawatt Power ship to help ease the ongoing load-shedding exercise.

Briefing journalists on tour of the shipyard in Istanbul Turkey where the Powerships are under construction, Mr Orhan Remzi Karadeniz said the company is on course to deliver and make operational the first of the two contractual 225 MW Powerships in September, this year.

He explained that the proposed interim Powership is the company’s way of supporting the electricity company to augment power supply to deal with the power crisis while work on the second Powership continues.

He said the company could deliver and make operational the interim powership, which is almost ready, once arrangements are concluded.

He said the interim Powership together with delivery and operationalisation of the first Powership would make about 345 MW power available to support industry and individual households.

He said while the first 225 MW would be in Tema, the proposed interim 120 MW would be sited in Takoradi.

Mr Karedeniz said the interim powership would be replaced once the second 225 MW powership is ready as agreed in the contract.

The Electricity company of Ghana has signed a Power Purchase Agreement for the provision of 450 MW of electric power through the supply of two 225 MW powerships.

The first is to be delivered in 215 days after the financial closure while the second is to be completed in 365 days after the financial closure.

He said the company was trying to speed up the construction of the two contracted powerships to ensure early delivery.

“As I explained the first of the 225 MW powership could be operational in Ghana in the next 150 days that is by September this year.”

He said the company’s offer of the 120 MW powership would be within the existing power purchase agreement and would not be an additional cost to the ECG.

Mr Karadeniz said Ghana holds a unique position for the powership project as it is the first country in Africa where the company had signed a contract.

“Ghana is our entry point to Africa as well as our regional hub for the West African Sub-region,” he said.

Karpowership is the only owner, operator and builder of the first Powership fleet (floating power plant) in the world. Since 2010, seven Power ships with 1200MW installed capacity have been completed and are in operation.

In June 2014, Karpowership signed a 10-year PPA with Ghana’s Electricity Company of Ghana for the provision of 450MW directly to the country’s national grid via two Power ships.

The project dubbed: “Power of Friendship for Ghana” is the first Powership project in Africa and seeks to meet the electricity demand of Ghana. The project is expected to account for 22 per cent of the Ghana’s total energy generation.