Utility service providers in the country have received a $470million push from the World Bank, with the Sunon Asogli Power Plant also ready to release its first 200 megawatts of electricity next month. The Energy Minister, Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, told the Daily Graphic after a tour of the Sunon Asogli Power Plant at Kpong, near Tema, yesterday that the amount provided by the World Bank was being used to overhaul the electricity sector and for the improvement of water supply in the country.

 Consequently, he said, $400million of the money had already been spent in those sectors, with the $70million which had received executive approval yet to be placed before Parliament.

He explained that the $70million would be give to the Electricity Company of Ghana to upgrade its infrastructure.

The energy minister noted that the World Bank’s offer was to help the ECG to overhaul its physical infrastructure to reduce technical losses, improve quality to clients, connect more customers, and to ultimately increase revenue collection.

He said part of the money would also be used to upgrade transmission in the regions, particularly the Ashanti Region, while the rest would be used to carry out the prepaid metering system which had been introduced by the ECG.

The first phase of the Asogli Plant has been completed, and from next month will begin supplying to augment what the Volta River Authority (VRA) provides to meet increasing demand.

Sunon Asogli is to begin the test run in August when the West African Gas pipeline is expected to be operational.

During Dr Oteng-Adjei’s working visit to the project site at Kpong, he was briefed by the Chairman of the Sunon Asogli Power Plant, Mr Li Xiaohai.

Mr Li told the minister that the first phase would generate 200 megawatts of power while the second phase, which would be completed in March next year, would generate an additional 360 to bring its total production to 560 megawatts.

He said the company was also planning to construct another plant to generate 1,000 megawatts of power in the country, adding that its management decided to invest in Ghana because of the stable political climate, established law and policy for Independent Power Producers.

A Director of the company, Togbe Afedi XIV, explained that the second phase entailed the installation of generators, turbines, transformers and cooling towers.

Dr Oteng-Adjei commended the company for completing the project on schedule, and said now that Ghana had discovered oil and gas, in addition to the West Africa Gas pipeline project, there was the hope that the 1,000 megawatts plant to be completed would also come to fruition.

The $400million already advanced to the country included a $44.7million for the ongoing e-Ghana Project that is working to generate growth and employment by leveraging information and communications technologies.

The project focuses on creating the enabling environment necessary for the growth of the sector, support local ICT businesses and promote e-government application.

About $75million of the amount is being used to expand access to and sustainability of water and sanitation services in six rural communities over the next six years.

Dr Oteng-Adjei said the government was committed to revamping the energy sector to ensure that Ghanaians enjoyed uninterrupted and efficient power supply.

He said the move was geared towards the government’s “Better Ghana Agenda” and appealed to Ghanaians to support the government in that direction.


Source: Daily Graphic