President commissions 15MW solar power plant at Kaleo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned the second phase of a Solar Power Plant project with an installed capacity of 15Mega Watts of power (MWp) at Kaleo, in the Upper West Region.
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The €17.8 million project, which was installed by Elecnor S.A from Spain with consultancy from Tractebel Engineering of Germany, was funded by the German Development Bank.
Commitment
President Akufo-Addo said the project confirmed the commitment of the government to diversify the country’s energy generation portfolio and also increase Ghana and Volta River Authority (VRA) generation capacity by 15MW.
“The commissioning of this solar power plant is not just about providing electricity, but investing in renewable energy infrastructure. “We are securing a reliable source of electricity and creating new opportunities for economic growth and job creation,” he said.
Both the first and second phase of the projects will now deliver a combined power supply of about 28MW of power at no additional cost due to competent technical inputs, he said.
“This project will not only empower homes and businesses, but also serve as a catalyst for development in the region, attracting investment and spurring innovation,” he said.
Commendation
The President commended the contractors for executing the project to expectation. “There is the need for everyone to support the sustainable operation of this facility and together each of us will play our small part to help build our beloved motherland for the benefit of ourselves and future generations.
The solar power plant
“Let us continue to work together towards harnessing the full potential of renewable energy and build a brighter tomorrow for our citizens,” he said. The President further said that the government had invested heavily in the electricity transmission network to enable them to evacuate more renewable energy to support extension of electricity across the country.
Renewable energy
The Board Chairman of the Volta River Authority, Kofi Tutu Agyare, said the successful execution of the project was confirmation of the authority’s commitment to increase renewable energy footprints, particularly at a time the country was striving to achieve energy access and efficiency.
“Together with the Ministry of Energy and our sister institutions in the electricity value chain, we are poised to help the government achieve the national energy transition goal of installing some 150GW of solar generation by the year 2060,” he said.
“It is imperative to note that VRA as part of our corporate social responsibility, has undertaken the rehabilitation of the Kaleo D/A Primary School and provided them with sanitary infrastructure, a library, refurbished canteen, and a general facelift of the school’s environment,” the chairman said.
He pledged the authority’s continuous support to the people of Kaleo towards sustainable development of the community. “As a socially responsible organisation, we shall be guided by the tenets of our community development programme framework to promote, empower and develop all our impacted areas,” Mr Agyare added.