Ghana: Energy Sector Agencies, Others To Be Ranked On League Table

Michael Creg Afful
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Energy sector agencies and other state enterprises in the Republic of Ghana will soon be ranked on a league table to assess their performance. Among the state enterprises is the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Bui Power Authority, Ghana National Gas Company, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Petroleum Commission, GOIL Company Limited, National Petroleum Authority, Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST), Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and Volta River Authority (VRA). The rest are the Tema Development Company (TDC), GIHOC, Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company, Ghana Airport Company Limited, National Lotteries Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and State Transportation Corporation. According to the Minister for Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe, his outfit would, on June 30, 2022, officially launch the league table initiative. He said the initiative would be concentrating on the targets set in the performance contracts of the various public sector enterprises and how best they have achieved them. He said awards would be given to enterprises that performed very well and those sinking would be supported to upgrade their performance. The aim of the league table, the Minister said, is to monitor the performance of the enterprises and ensure they are up to the task. Hon. Joseph Cudjoe disclosed this when he paid a working visit to Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) last Wednesday, June 8, 2022. He said the government is also working hard to tighten performance contracting regimes to ensure the public enterprises meet the targets set in their contract. He added that the government was putting in place measures including good governance practices in various institutions just as in the private sector. He appealed to Ghanaians and authorities to help in safeguarding investments in state-owned enterprises. Hon. Cudjoe explained that a lot of state resources had been invested in specified entities which include the SOEs, JVCs and regulatory firms, but those investments had not yielded the expected results in terms of performance, output and outlet. According to him, the public sector works within the framework of government policy, the efficient and profitable operations of statutory corporations engaged in the trade. Hon. Cudjoe expressed regret at the loss of investment in Ghana’s one-time automobile industry among others, which was mismanaged leading to their collapse. The Minister and his entourage were taken to the Systems Control room. On his part, Ing Ebenezer Essienyi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the country’s power transmission company, GRIDCo, expressed gratitude to the Minister, who also happens to be the former Deputy Minister for Energy in charge of Finance and Infrastructure, for visiting the company.     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Biden Tells Exxon To Start Paying Its Taxes

Michael Creg Afful
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With the U.S. Administration growing more desperate by the week as gasoline prices breach $5 per gallon in the United States, President Biden is now taking aim at individual oil and gas companies—namely, ExxonMobil. A Biden statement attempting to address May inflation data contained harsh words—both for the oil industry as a whole and Exxon specifically. “Why aren’t they drilling? Because they make more money not producing more oil,” he said. “Exxon, start investing and start paying your taxes.” The President also said that they would make sure everyone knew how much Exxon was profiting. “Exxon made more money than God last year.” To be precise, Exxon’s net profit was $23 billion in 2021, making up for the $22.4 billion loss the year prior. Exxon’s 2021 profit came in behind Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Alphabet, Microsoft, JP Morgan Chase, Meta Platforms, Amazon, and Bank of America—and barely eeked out a win over the Federal National Mortgage Association, Fannie Mae. On the issue of taxes, Exxon’s income taxes for Q1 2022 alone were $2.8 billion dollars, with full year 2021 income taxes at $7.6 billion, according to Macrotrends and CSI Market. Biden’s anti-oil statement follows a similar one from Thursday, where deputy director of the National Economic Council Bharat Ramamurti told CNN in a phone interview that “It’s outrageous that oil and gas companies are able to take advantage and make four times the profits that they made when there wasn’t a war.” When asked about the potential for the White House to back a proposal for a windfall profit tax, Ramamurti said that they were “open to lots of different ideas. We realize there is a problem here we need to tackle.”         Source :Oilprice.com

Nigeria: We’re Working Tirelessly To Restore Power Supply To Ogun State-IBEDC

Michael Creg Afful
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The Management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Plc has appealed to its numerous customers in parts of Ogun State that are currently without power supply. The affected towns and communities are Papalanto, Arigbajo, Ejio Ifo, Agosti, Olomu road, Ososun village, Coker, Akinside, Ibogun, Oju-sango, PMakoto Babyoku, Agebgise, Ogun bade, Iyana Cele, Iyana Ilogbo, Owode, Ijako, Isorosi, Ishaka Igbala, Ijako-Sugar, Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, Ilaro town and Igbogila. The rest are Oja Odan, Ilaro poly, Pay, Idiroko, Ipokia, Lease, Igua, Farm settlement, Ibese, Ijoga, Ibara oriole, Ijoun, Imasayi, Abule oke, Maria, Yewa, Ajegunle, Abalabi, Akinside, Akinbo, Olorunsogo, Ilaro road, Weybridge, Gudugba, Abule Oko, Bonny Pie industries, Waterworks and Lapeleke. A statement signed by the Chief Technical Officer, Engr Akin Abiodun, apologised for the disruption in supply and said that the outage was due to a heavy fault on a 33kV line that had a backlash on the grounding transformer at the TCN Sub-station at Papalanto. The grounding transformer, which forms part of the power transformer’s protection, has to be replaced before the supply can be restored. ‘’Our technical team is working assiduously with their TCN counterparts to ensure power supply is restored as soon as possible” Engr Abiodun said. He further explained that IBEDC is not insensitive to the effect of this outage on the customers. “Once again, we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and seek the understanding and patience of all in the affected communities.”     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com    

Italy: Eni Inaugurates First Hydrogen Refueling Station In Mestre Venice

Michael Creg Afful
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Italian oil and gas giant, Eni has inaugurated Italy’s first hydrogen refueling station at the San Giuliano Enistation in the city of Mestre Venice. The inauguration was done in the presence of Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, Eni Energy Evolution Chief Operating Officer Giuseppe Ricci and Toyota Motor Italia CEO Luigi Ksawery Luca. This is the first road mobility station to open to the public in an urban area in Italy where it is also possible to refuel using hydrogen. The system is equipped with two dispensing points with a capacity of over 100 kg/day, which can refuel vehicles in about 5 minutes and buses too. The station is fitted with innovative safety and fire-fighting equipment. It was completely rebuilt in recent months and has reopened to the public in February. It supplies traditional fuels and electrical recharging services, with one charging column supporting two stations that can simultaneously recharge a vehicle in fast and ultrafast mode. “For us, this is an achievement, as well as a starting point. We want to play a leading role and it is no coincidence that we are in place such as Veneto and Venice, creating infrastructure that responds to the demand for sustainable mobility and, more generally, an effective and practical energy transition. Our commitment rests with our customers, to whom we want to offer all our people and car-based services and products. We do so while also respecting public institutions, supporting the strategic development of the projects they have planned for the transformation of our country” Giuseppe Ricci, Eni Energy Evolution Chief Operating Officer said. Following the agreement signed in 2019 between the Municipality & Metropolitan City of Venice, Eni and Toyota, the car manufacturer will put a minimum of ten Toyota Mirai on the road. Three were delivered today to Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and will be used by the Municipality of Venice. Three other cars will become part of the car fleet dedicated to the KINTO car-sharing service in the city of Venice. The remainder will be delivered in the coming months. “Today marks a fundamental step in the development of hydrogen mobility in Italy. We are excited and proud to support Eni and the City of Venice in the success of this project by making our Mirai cars available.  The path to zero-emission mobility must leverage the widespread use of both hydrogen and battery-powered vehicles, two technologies which we view as fully complementary to each other. The hope is that this will be the first of many hydrogen refueling stations which will soon align Italy to other European countries” said Luigi Ksawery Luca’, CEO of Toyota Motor Italia. “Today Venice, thanks to Eni and the full support of the entire municipal administration, has provided tangible proof that it is truly the World Capital of Sustainability. It is a city that in recent years has been investing resources to contribute to an energy transition that effectively guarantees the protection the environment. The oldest city of the future, it provides an example for many other administrations that will be able to see what we are doing. This refueling station will allow us to quickly move ahead with our plan to modernise local public transport powered by hydrogen, which we are implementing with the investments from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan [PNRR]. Above all, thanks to Toyota, will be adding new hydrogen-powered cars to the Municipality’s car fleet. The future of Venice is today, and in this spirit, we keep looking forward”  Luigi Brugnaro, Mayor of Venice said.   Source: https://energynewsafrica.com        

GE To Triple Its Solar And Battery Energy Storage Power Electronics Capacity In 2022

Inusah Musah
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General Electric (GE) is tripling its solar and battery energy storage Power Electronics Systems manufacturing capacity by the end of 2022 to 9 GW per annum, linked to strong growth in backlog over the past few months and a robust demand outlook. The systems are manufactured at GE’s newly launched Renewable Hybrids factory. Earlier in 2022, GE announced the opening of its Renewable Hybrids manufacturing site in Vallam, near Chennai, India. The site manufactures GE’s Power Conversion Solution called FLEXINVERTER (formerly known as LV5+), as well as the FLEXRESERVOIR, and helps integrate them with the FLEXIQ solution, from GE Renewable Hybrids’s FLEX portfolio, designed to solve customers’ needs for dispatchable, green MWhs in Solar, Storage and Hybrid applications.    

Ghana Energy Awards Team Pays Working Visit To Energy Ministry

Michael Creg Afful
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Organisers of the Ghana Energy Awards (GEA), on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, paid a working visit to Ghana’s Ministry of Energy in Accra. The purpose of the visit, among others, was to acquaint the latter with activities leading up to the organisation of the 2022 edition of the prestigious awards. It was also to actively involve the Ministry in the GEA’s theme selection process, which is a significant part of the entire event. Before the 2021 GEA, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the West African nation’s Minister for Energy, in a meeting with members of the Awards Committee, proposed that the Ministry be engaged in the selection of the theme to have the scheme in tangent with the Ministry’s direction for the sector. Deputy Minister for Energy, William Owuraku Aidoo, on behalf of the Minister, and Solomon Adjetey, the Director of Power at the Ministry, received the GEA team. The delegation included Dr. Kwame Ampofo, former Chairman of the Awarding of Panel, Ing Henry Tenor, CEO of the Energy Media Group and the Event Director, Nicholas Frimpong-Manso, the Managing Director of GP Business and Co-organiser of the event, as well as some representatives of the GEA Secretariat. The Awards team used the opportunity to congratulate the Ministry on its recognition with the Excellence in Leadership and Governance Award at the GEA’21. Dr. Ampofo expressed the Awards Committee’s appreciation for the Ministry’s involvement in activities toward the event organisation, especially as the Awards Scheme is a recognised sector initiative. Moreover, the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the Ghana Energy Awards Streetlight Installation Scheme is a further testament to their interest in the Scheme, hence the call. On his part, Mr Owuraku Aidoo shared his enthusiasm for the Ministry’s involvement in the theme selected for this year, which is centred around energy transition. He admitted that “energy transition is an area that has been in many discussions at the Ministry,” and stressed the importance of working towards net zero-emission goals. Currently, the Ministry, he said, is engaging in extensive stakeholder consultations at all levels through to the cabinet to handle issues prevailing in the sector. He further emphasised the commitment on their part to suitably address ongoing issues for the country to enjoy continued growth. To this extent, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) would soon develop standards for meter production. “This would directly link consumers to meter producing companies while maintaining quality,” he said. Once the Ministry of Energy responds to the choice of the theme from the list given, the activities on the road toward the 2022 GEA would officially commence with the Media Launch to unveil the theme and announce the opening of nominations. Meanwhile, the GEA Streetlight Installation Initiative is an offshoot of the Ghana Energy Awards Scheme intended for the apex award winners; Energy Personalities (Male and Female), to have streetlights installed in selected communities across the country. Ing Henry Tenor noted that the benefitting communities or schools would be decided in collaboration with the Energy Personalities and the Ministry to ensure the desired impact is achieved. For the impact of this initiative to have an even distribution, Mr. Solomon Adjetey advised that the programme be handled in a regionally balanced manner so no parts of the country are left out.     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com

Ghana: GNPC Workers Wanted To Kill Me For Sending Over 800 People Home-Former CEO

Michael Creg Afful
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A former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Authority (GNPC), Dr. Amos Ofori Quaah, has disclosed how he was nearly killed by the staff of the corporation when he took a tough decision to cut down the workforce. Dr. Quaah, who was part of the formative years of GNPC, told energynewsafrica.com in an interview that when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led by John Agyekum Kufuor won power in 2000 and formed government in 2001, he was appointed the CEO of the corporation. He said at the time, the corporation had a total workforce of over 900 people. Recounting how former President John Kufuor wanted to scrap GNPC due to its involvement in non-core businesses which had put the corporation in financial crisis, Dr. Quaah said he managed to convince the president to change his mind by promising to cut down the workforce. Dr. Quaah said he decided to trim the workforce from over 900 to 72 staff.
Dr. Amos Ofori Quaah (Left), former CEO of GNPC and Michael Creg Afful, (Right) Editor of energynewsafrica.com
Dr. Quaah indicated that when he communicated the intention to trim the workforce, there were so many agitations in the Corporation that some of the staff wanted to burn the Tema Head Office. According to him, on two occasions, some workers planted a six-inch nail in his car tyres to blast and kill him on his way home. “On two occasions, I discovered six inches of a nail stuck in my car tyres and it was the grace of God that saved me. “It got so scary that when I arrived in the office to work, my driver would drive the vehicle to the Tema Regional Police Command to park it. And when I was in the office, there would be an ASP Police officer on my right and an Inspector on my left to offer me protection,” Dr. Quaah recounted. Narrating how he was saved from the various plots of the aggrieved workers, Dr. Quaah revealed that he had several junior staff who were his close friends and “they would normally go along with the entire plan they hatched but would sneak into my office and brief me about what they had planned to do. And the moment they briefed me, I would call the National Security in,” he said. Despite the horrific experiences he went through, Dr. Quaah said he and the management advanced the course of the Corporation, leading to the discovery of oil in commercial quantities in 2007.     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com        

Exxon Passes $100 Mark For First Time Since 2014

Michael Creg Afful
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ExxonMobil stock saw a more than 2% boost in share prices on early Wednesday trading, marking a significant comeback for an oil giant that has recently fallen out of favor with Wall Street.  Trading at $105.47, up 2.04%, by 11:46 am EST Wednesday, Exxon shares are now above the $100 mark for the first time since 2014.  Exxon now appears to be experiencing a reversal of fortunes after years of dealing with the fallout from its handling of climate issues and investors’ fears of what an energy transition will mean for the supermajor.  Exxon has gained over 66% since the beginning of the year, buoyed by post-pandemic demand recovery followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions that have shaken global energy markets.  Adding to the good news is an announcement Wednesday that Exxon has been chosen by state-owned Qatar Energy to partner in the expansion of what will end up being the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in the world. Along with French TotalEnergies, Dutch Shell and ConocoPhillips, Exxon will partner in Qatar’s $30-billion North Field expansion project, which will see LNG output boosted by 64% by 2027, securing long-term natural gas supply to Europe.  With this deal, and continued bullish sentiment in the oil space, Exxon is working its way back into favored status on Wall Street. The stock is now far from its situation in 2020, when it was evicted from the Dow Jones.  “Every conceivable headwind has become a tailwind,” Evercore ISI analyst Stephen Richardson wrote in a Wednesday note, reported by Bloomberg, pointing to a situation in which “structural supply deficit has opened in crude”. Speaking to CNN, Bernstein analyst Oswald Clint said that “If you’re in a market where oil is rallying, of course there’s big appetite to buy one of the biggest, safest and most levered companies to that commodity.” Still, not all oil companies are regaining favor on Wall Street on this level. Some analysts worry that we’ve exhausted all the headwinds here, even if Exxon looks solid from a macroeconomic standpoint.  In a Tuesday research note carried by Barron’s, Evercore ISI analyst Stephen Richardson downgraded Devon Energy (DVN) and Occidental Petroleum (OXY), saying that while he had “no fundamental issues” with either, “just about everything that could go right for these names over the last 12 months did, and our Bull case theses have largely played out”.    Source: Oilprice.com

Nigeria: Gov’t To Sanction Oil Companies Over Law Violation

Michael Creg Afful
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Nigeria has vowed to sanction oil and gas companies that fail to comply with the Human Capacity Development provisions contained in the country’s  Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act. The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Simbi Wabote, made this known on Wednesday while delivering a keynote address at the second edition of the virtual stakeholders workshop for Human Capacity Development in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Speaking on the topic, ‘Human Capacity Development: The Pillar for Nigeria’s industrialisation’, the NCDMB chieftain warned that the board would enforce periodic forensic audit for HCD programmes and companies found violating the NOGICD Act 2010 and the ministerial regulations in executing cost intensive Capacity Development Initiatives as mandated by the Act, would be sanctioned. He said, “It has come to the attention of the board that some operating companies and services companies are reluctant to implement the HCD programmes as directed by the board. Most of the companies are testing the mettle of the board and I want to use this opportunity to inform erring companies that the board will meet appropriate sanctions to them as prescribed by the Act.” He added that the board was mandated to ensure that the industry derives maximum benefits from huge investments and also ensure beneficiaries of the HCD training programmes find gainful employment in the sector. Stressing the importance of human capacity development, Wabote said, ”With the rapid advancement in technologies used in the oil and gas industry, our industry will continue to be manned by foreigners and expatriates if we do not keep pace with the spate of technological development by developing the human capabilities required for the challenges of modern industrial technologies.       Source: https://energynewsafrica.com  

Benin/Togo:M Auto Puts Its Electric Motorbikes “Chap Chap” And “Commando” On Sale

Michael Creg Afful
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The Indian car manufacturer Mauto Electric Mobility has announced the marketing of its two electric motorbike models “Chap Chap” and “Commando” in Togo and Benin. The two-wheeled machines would help to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the transport sector of the two West African nations. The new development is in line with the climate ambitions of the authorities in Benin and Togo.  “The Commando electric motorbike is equipped with two 73.6V batteries that can travel at a maximum speed of 80km/h, with a range of up to 70km. It is marketed at 1.4 million CFA francs (2,166 euros) adjustable over 3 years at a rate of 1,299 CFA francs (about 2 euros) per day,”  the company said. As for the “Chap Chap” motorbike, it is equipped with a 72V lithium battery that can reach a speed of 90 km/h. The vehicle costs 1.93 million CFA francs (over 1,500 euros). In Benin, these two-wheeled vehicles made available to professionals in the transport sector, households and companies will be recharged in stations that will soon be installed in Cotonou, in the Glo Djigbé industrial park. In Togo, where M Auto has been present since September 2021, a recharging station will soon be operational in the Adétikopé industrial platform located 37 minutes from the capital Lomé.  “M Auto’s electric motorbikes are designed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also to provide an innovative acquisition mechanism that promotes inclusion and develops the economy. The innovation we are bringing through these motorbikes reflects the energy transition that Benin, as well as other countries around the world, is committed to,”says Alan Kevin, General Manager of M Auto Group in Benin. Eventually, the brand, which is also based in the United Arab Emirates, wants to produce and market one million of each of its electric motorbikes. In addition to production, M Auto also intends to convert conventional motorbikes (with combustion engines) to electric in order to promote green mobility in the West African community. This will limit noise and air pollution in Togo, where the company plans to create 2,000 green jobs for young people. In this process, the Togolese authorities also decided in March 2022 to exempt electric vehicles from import duties. These vehicles are now approved by the government as part of a policy to accelerate the green economy.     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com  

Ghana: MCC Still Believes PSP Is Needed In ECG’s Operations-Mahmoud Bah

Michael Creg Afful
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The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an independent U.S. foreign assistance agency that provided US$316 million in funding for the Ghana Power Compact II, still holds the view that there should be private sector participation in the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to ensure efficiency in its operations. Ghana signed the Power Compact II programme with the Millennium Challenge Corporation in 2014 to address several challenges ECG was facing. The project included ECG’s financial and operational turnaround, regulatory strengthening and capacity building and access project. The rests were power sector generation improvement Energy efficiency and demand-side management project. One of the requirements was for the Ghana Government to invite private sector participants into ECG’s operations. After a rigorous bidding process, Power Distribution Services (PDS) Limited, a consortium led by Filipino-based Meralco, was selected and subsequently handed over the assets of ECG on March 1, 2019. Unfortunately, barely four months later, the Government of Ghana, in July 2019, suspended the concession agreement and subsequently terminated it on grounds of an invalid Demand Guarantee presented by PDS. An investigation by the Government of Ghana revealed that there was no approval by Competent Signatories to the Demand Guarantees issued by Al-Koot in Qatar, therefore, the transaction lacked the required authorisation and approval of the company. Moreso, Al-Koot had an underwriting policy and guidelines which required the approval of the Central Bank of Qatar, but no such approval was granted by the Central Bank of Qatar. Speaking to a section of Ghanaian journalists last week, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the MCC, Mahmoud Bah said his outfit respects the Government of Ghana’s decision to cancel the PDS deal with the Electricity Company of Ghana. “We fully agree that private sector PSP in the ECG is required for us to have a sustainable solution. You cannot continue to do things the way you do. You have to inject some new perspective and new resources. The government can’t just do it all,” he argued. According to Mr. Bah, the Government of Ghana acknowledges the importance of the private sector participant in the Electricity Company of Ghana and “as we speak, is addressing the issue of private sector participation.” Emphasizing the importance of electricity, Mr Mahmoud Bah, said growth and electricity go hand in hand, stating that “the more you grow, the more electricity you need. “No country has gone through development without electricity,” he pointed out.     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com      

South Africa: Eskom CEO Speaks Out On Decommissioning Coal Power Plants

Michael Creg Afful
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South Africans have nothing to fear from the decommissioning of the country’s traditional coal power plants, Eskom Group CEO, Andre de Ruyter has said. Speaking at the #EnlitAfrica2022 conference in Cape Town on fast-forwarding the country’s transition to clean, greener energy, De Ruyter said South Africa was at a critical juncture in its history as many of its power plants had come to the end of their intended life. Although subsequent additions had to be made to the country’s energy infrastructure, he felt it would be remiss to “put a padlock on” those people who have invested in the coal value chain over the years.  According to a World Bank study he cited, close to 300 000 new jobs would be unlocked in the Mpumalanga coal belt region where most coal mines are located. The number of jobs provided would be more than the number of jobs lost. De Ruyter said the private sector was “waiting in bated breath to invest” but an enabling regulatory dispensation would first have to be established if the energy transmission process was to remain just. The Just Energy Transition Partnership, which includes South Africa, Germany, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union has pledged many billions of dollars to overseeing a fair transition process. In terms of the restructuring of Eskom, currently, the single buyer, seller and provider, the energy giant would have to be unbundled into three separate arms that would deal with the generation, transmission, and distribution of energy separately. Suppliers would then operate in a traditional market of “willing buyer, willing seller”. He said Eskom, the government and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) were working on an aggressive timeline which would open the floodgates for the inclusion of the private sector in energy transmission, possibly even by the end of the year.      

South Africa’s Energy Crisis: Hurdle Or Opportunity?

Inusah Musah
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South Africa has the key to unlocking the climate challenge. This is the view of Mojabeng Manthata, Acting Head, Energy, Environment and ICT, Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA). Speaking at the #EnlitAfrica2022 conference in Cape Town on Africa’s transition to green energy, Manthata said, “We have both the challenges and the opportunities and can serve as an example to the rest of the world.” Rather than viewing the country’s energy crisis as an insurmountable hurdle, Manthata urged stakeholders in the energy supply industry to view it as an opportunity. Manthata said many of South Africa’s power plants had approached the end of their lives and were needing to be decommissioned. “We now have the opportunity to replace assets for the future,” she said. South Africa had committed itself to being carbon-free and had abundant resources such as wind and water, making the time ripe to attract international investors. By converting existing coal mines and plants to greener options, the existing communities, including women, could be transformed and upskilled. “Decentralised energy is the cheapest form of energy and can be implemented quickly. However, we need to act fast,” she said.     Source: Esi-Africa

Ghana: VRA To Embark On US$410M Expansion Projects

Michael Creg Afful
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Ghana’s state’s largest power generation, Volta River Authority (VRA), is planning to expand its generation capacity within the next five years. The expansion, expected to cost the Authority some US$410 million, is intended to increase power supply and reliability in the West African nation. According to VRA, it would undertake a comprehensive Rehabilitation, Modernisation and Life Extension Project (RMLEP) of the Takoradi Thermal Power Plant (T1) at the Aboadze enclave which has been in operation for 25 years (since 1997). The company noted in a document that a consultant was engaged to undertake a technical assessment study of the T1 power plant and advise on improvements, not only about the physical conditions of the plant’s equipment but also about the efficient and reliable operational performance of the power plant. “The recommendation was to undertake retrofitting of some equipment to extend the economic life of the plant by a further 10 years,” the company said in the 2022-2027 Multi-Year Tariff Review proposal submitted to PURC for consideration. “This Life Extension project would cost USD 60 million and is expected to commence in 2022 till the end of 2023,” VRA explained. Additionally, the VRA also intends to convert the existing 220MW simple cycle KTPS power plant into a 315MW combined cycle power plant. This project would improve the efficiency of the power plant, increase generation output and reduce the cost of power generation from the power plant. According to VRA, the project is currently at a developmental stage and is expected to be completed by 2025. The estimated cost of the project is US$ 250 million. The state power producer also wants to obtain a ‘No Objection’ from the Government through the Ministry of Energy to rehabilitate the 132MW T3 Power plant which is currently out of service into a 132MW combined cycle power plant. The estimated cost of the project is US$100 million and the rehabilitation work is expected to commence by the end of 2022.     Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
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