President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said his government will continue to work hard to keep the country’s lights on despite the global dynamics of energy pricing.
President Akufo-Addo, who said “the alternative is not an option,” maintained that the country will not go back to “Dumsor.”
“I am convinced and confident that our nation is on the right path despite our challenges and with God on our side, I have the firm believe that we shall succeed in this enterprise,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo gave the assurance Tuesday, when he commissioned the US$40 million Accra Central Bulk Supply Point (BSP), in order to improve the reliability of power supply to the Central Business District (CBD) of Accra.
The BSP is expected to meet the projected high annual growth rates on the power supply reliability to the CBD, whose electricity load had been growing at a rate higher than the system average of 10% per annum.
The project, President Akufo-Addo explained had become necessary because of the modernisation of the city centre, increasing commercial and industrial activities, and the new trend with reconstruction of single-story buildings into high rise buildings with high power demand equipment.
President Akufo-Addo said the Project, funded by the Japanese Government is part of Government’s efforts to expand the national interconnected transmission system.
He emphasised that in this 21st Century, any country that prioritise to industrialise, as part of its economic agenda, must necessary ensure that its citizens have access to stable, efficient and affordable power supply.
Electricity, according to the President, is no longer a luxury but a necessity, adding: “we must commit ourselves to working hard to ensure that we achieve a universal electricity coverage in this country in order to spell our rapid rates of economic growth.”
The benefits of the Accra bulk supply point, amongst others, is to reduce transmission and distribution losses, ensure high reliability of electricity supply as well as ensure high level of personnel safety.
He said with the operationalisation of the Accra bulk supply point, power voltages have become stable, protecting valuable equipment, as well as improved power supply reliability.
The project was conceived following the decision to construct a BSP in proximity to the Accra Central Business District to improve electricity supply to the business district of Accra.
The Accra Central Bulk Supply Point (BSP) also known as “The Project for the Reinforcement of power supply to Accra Central” is a Japan Funded project through its external technical agency, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The project for reinforcement of power supply to Accra Central involves the construction of a 181/34.5KV substation in a single bus configuration equipped for 3No. 161/34,5KV. 125MVA power transformer and 2No, 161KV transmission line bays.
The works also include the construction of a 3.4km 161KV double circuit transmission line from Avenor to a dead-end tower near ECG’s Substation E and O0.4km underground cable to a new 161/34,5KM GIS Substation at the Graphic Road (ECG Substation E).
The new double circuit 161KV transmission line from Avenor to Substation, is interfaced with the existing 181KV Achimota- Mallam double circuit transmission line by breaking into one of the circuit.
The Electricity of Ghana, in collaboration with GRIDCo, agreed to extend the 161KV grid to their primary station located at the Graphic Road (Station E) in order to improve the reliability of power supply and reduce losses.
The Minister for Energy, Matthew Opoku Prempeh in his remarks, thanked the Japanese government for making the project a reality.
The Minister said the Project had relieved existing substations of overloads during planned maintenance works, without power supply interruptions to customers, and significantly reduced power losses especially at the medium voltage level, among others.
Country Representative of JICA, Ms Suzuku Momoko and the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mochizuki Hisanobu, both assured Ghana of their country’s continuous support to the Ghana development.
“It is the vision of the government of Japan to continue in their efforts aimed at ensuring that Ghana enjoys constant power supply across the entire land space of the country.”
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
