The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) has commissioned an $11 million Primary Substation to provide stable, reliable and quality power supply to the University of Ghana Medical Centre in Accra, the capital of Ghana.
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) is a 1000-bed capacity hospital. This means that the hospital will require adequate electricity to run efficiently.
The substation was funded through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a United States agency.
The project is one of the many electric infrastructural assets which form part of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Financial and Operational Turnaround project of the Ghana Power Compact II.
The substation has a capacity of 52 megavolts amperes and can supply all present and future power needs of the University of Ghana Medical Centre and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.
It would also serve as an alternative source of power supply to other institutions and surrounding communities.
Commissioning the project, Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr. Mohammad Amin Adam, noted that the substation would help to reduce technical losses in the ECG’s distribution system and reduce power outages in the catchment area.
“There is indeed a lot to celebrate with the coming on stream of this project and the local community can now heave a huge sigh of relief,” he said.
He said besides the Pokuase Bulk Supply Point, works have also been completed on the Kasoa Bulk Supply Point which is a 435 MWA capacity gas Insulated switchgear substation.
He said the project has been energised and is in operation, awaiting formal inauguration next month.
Further to this, he said works on the national transmission backbone from the coast to Bolgatanga which had a gap between Kumasi and Kintampo have been completed.
Dr. Amin added that the Tema-Accra transmission line is also being upgraded to increase its capacity from 161KV to 330 KV.
Dr. Amin said Ghana is working hard to increase the contribution of renewable energy and in particular attain a minimum of 10 per cent contribution from renewable energy in the generation mix by 2030.
He commended Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for making funds available to MiDA for projects executed under the Ghana Power Compact II.
Board Chairperson of MiDA, Prof Ntiamoah-Baidu, called on the university authorities and Electricity Company of Ghana to preserve and sustain the facility as well as the power grid the substation depends on, to achieve the lasting results outlined.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com