Retrofitting of Kpong Power plant to be completed in January 2016
Work on the retrofitting of four turbines of the Kpong power plant is scheduled to be completed by January 2016.
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At the end of the repair works, the plant will optimise its generating capacity of 152 megawatts of power.
The repair work is being funded by the government with part of a €50 million loan it secured from the French Development Agency (AFD) in 2012 for the Volta River Authority.
Out of the €50 million, €42.75 million will be used for the retrofit, while € 3.65 million will finance a feasibility study for the future multipurpose project that will take care of power generation, irrigation, flood mitigation, water supply and fisheries at Pwalugu.
Part of the funds will be used to change the 35-year-old analogue control board used for monitoring the water level, temperatures and other activities into a digital automated system.
Additionally, one million euros will be used to reinforce VRA’s financial sustainability by improving the business financial model and the investment planning tools of the company, while €3.5 million will cater for contingencies.
A project officer at AFD, Ms Camille LeThuc, who briefed journalists on the funding during a tour of the plant at Akuse last Tuesday, was optimistic the project, when completed, would help to address the gap in power supply in the country.
Media tour
During a media tour at Akuse as part of activities to mark the 30 years anniversary of the AFD, some workers of the Kpone plant were seen working on the turbines.
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The Plant Manager, Mr Johnson Hlorjie, explained that the retrofitting, which is part of maintenance plans for the 35-year-old plant, was necessary for the sustainability of electricity supply.
“After 35 years of putting the turbines to work, especially, the moving parts may have worn out. There is, therefore, the need for what the layman will describe as overhauling. After the retrofitting, the plant will operate reliably now, and we are sure of no breakdowns for the next 30 to 35 years,” he said.
AFD support
Briefing journalists before the tour, the Resident Manager of AFD, Ms Amelie July, said the Kpong project which was one of the flagship projects of the agency was selected for the tour out of the 14 ongoing projects of the agency “due to its current importance in the Ghanaian context”.
Writer’s email:emelia.ennin@graphic.com.gh