President commissions electricity project in Accra
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday commissioned a $40 million Bulk Supply Point (BSP) electricity project at Adabraka, Greater Accra.
It is aimed at improving stability of power supply to the central business district and its adjoining areas, and also reduce power losses.
Funded with a grant from the Japanese government, the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) project extends 161 kilowatts volts grid to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Primary Station ‘E’, located on the Graphic Road.
President Akufo-Addo said the facility was a gas-insulated substation, GRIDCo’s first substation with such technology in the country.
It is an innovation in technology which is applied in areas where space is limited such that large capacity switchgear and transformers can be installed.
He said the facility would lead to a reduction in transmission and distribution losses, ensure high reliability of electricity supply and also provide a high level of personal safety.
It also includes the construction of a 3.4km 161kV double circuit transmission line from Avenor to a dead-end tower near the substation and a 0.4km underground cable to a new 161/34.5kV which interfaces with an existing 161kV Achimota - Mallam double circuit transmission line, among other equipment.
Significance
President Akufo-Addo said that the Accra business district consisted of major corporate entities which contributed significantly to the economy.
The electricity demand rate of residents and commercial establishments operating in the area stood at 10 per cent per annum, he said, adding that the power demand in Greater Accra was projected to reach 1,000 megawatts with an average annual growth rate of some eight per cent.
“It is evident that the execution of the Accra central bulk supply project is consistent with the country's power needs and development,” the President said, adding that the GDP growth rate was up to 15 per cent at the time of the project preparation.
Overloads
President Akufo-Addo further said that the project would relieve existing substations of overloads and allow for planned maintenance works to be carried out without power supply interruption to some customers, while it improves operating voltages to consumers, reduce the cost of extending and expanding the medium voltage (MV) network and evacuate additional capacity for projected load growth within the CBD.
He gave the assurance that the government will continue to work towards keeping the lights on in spite of the global dynamics of energy pricing, adding that “the alternative is not an option. We are not going back to dumsor, we leave that to President Mahama”.
The President said any country that aspired to industrialise in the 21st Century in line with its economic agenda to improve the quality of life of the people must necessarily ensure that its citizens had access to stable, efficient and affordable power supply.
Investment
The Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said energy drove the socio-economic and industrialisation agenda of a country, hence, the reason the government in the last seven years had strived to provide adequate and stable electricity supply.
He said the latest commissioning was coming after the Pokuase and Kasoa Bulk Supply Points projects, which the minister said had brought immeasurable relief to industry and the people in the catchment areas by addressing their power needs.
The Board Chairman of GRIDCo, Kabral Blay Amihere, said the completion of the project was evident of the commitment of GRIDCo to provide reliable and efficient electricity transmission services to the people and to support the economic growth of the country.
For his part, the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mochizuki Hisanobu, said the project illustrated the strong cooperation in the 60-year relationship between Ghana and Japan.
He commended the government and people for their cooperation towards the successful completion of the project.