By Gloria Amoh
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will oversee the commissioning of the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Project on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. This project is a significant endeavor aimed at addressing voltage and power quality issues in Kumasi and northern Ghana.
This initiative, championed by the Volta River Authority (VRA), will enhance system voltages, thereby improving overall stability. Joining the President at the event in Anwomaso Kumasi will be Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and VRA CEO Ing. Emmanuel Antwi Darkwa.
This undertaking follows a thorough grid impact study conducted by the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), which identified the need for at least 250MW of additional power generation capacity in the Ashanti Region to ensure grid reliability and stability. By establishing a power plant in Kumasi, the project aims to provide consistent and reliable electricity to consumers in the middle and northern regions of the country.
Moreover, the project aligns with efforts to optimize national assets and harness gas resources from the Western part of Ghana. It is expected to generate employment opportunities in Kumasi and its surroundings while facilitating practical training opportunities for students of technical universities on thermal power operations, including those at KNUST and Kumasi Technical University.
Background
This project is projected to reduce system transmission losses by approximately 30MW, further enhancing efficiency in the power distribution network. The Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Project, initiated after the expiration of the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) agreement with Ameri Energy Limited, was transferred to the VRA in 2022.
Since then, the Ministry of Energy and the VRA have strategically relocated the plant to Kumasi, marking the inception of the “Kumasi 1 Thermal Power” project. Funded entirely from the VRA’s internally generated funds, the project is being executed in two phases. The first phase, commencing in May 2023, involved relocating six TM2500 units with a total capacity of 150MW, while the second phase, scheduled for completion in June 2024, will increase the plant’s capacity to 250MW.#
