Ghana Gas to meet June deadline for works on Karpower plant relocation

Foundation works are currently progressing[/caption] The Ghana National Gas Company Limited says it is on course in meeting the June deadline for works on the relocation of the Karpowership plant from Tema in Greater Accra to the Sekondi Naval Base in the Western Region. Government resolved to move the 470 megawatts Karpowership plant to the naval base to enable operators draw natural gas from Ghana Gas to power the plant, which currently runs on heavy fuel Oil HFO and costs the country about 9 million dollars monthly. The relocation to utilize the natural gas in the western region would save the country over $240Million on annual basis. Addressing journalists after an inspection tour of the project, Senior Manager for Community Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility for Ghana Gas, Joseph Ewoniah, said the seven kilometre right of way for the pipelines for the project has successfully been prepared. “The contractor Armandi Constructions Limited has completed the preparation of the seven kilometre onshore right of way that runs from the Takoradi Regulatory and Metering Station at Aboadze to Ngresiah”. Studies are ongoing to determine how best to lay the remaining three-kilometre pipes offshore, from Ngresiah to the Sekondi Naval Base, Mr. Ewoniah noted. Engineers are also erecting pylons that will support high tension cables that will run from the Karpowership to Aboadze Thermal Power Station. Works on the Onshore Terminal Station, which will serve as an intermediary between the Takoradi Regulatory and Metering Station and the Karpowership is at a foundation stage. The seven kilometre onshore pipelines will pass through five communities including Ngresiah, Essipong, lower and upper Inchaban and Aboadze. Mr. Ewoniah stated the company will finish payment of all compensation by the middle of March. “We scheduled the payment of compensation into two phases. Before we cleared the right of way for the pipelines, we [Ghana Gas] identified some major property and paid compensation. That formed part of the phase one. We are currently working with the Lands Valuation board to determine the right values to enable us pay the remaining compensation for the other minor property” he said. Head of Communications for the Ghana Gas Company Limited, Ernest Owusu Bempah stated both government and Ghana Gas are committed to ensuring the project is completed in June. “When this projected is completed, some 470 megawatts of power is going to be added to the national grid. This means more power for the country’s industrialization agenda and especially for the free zones enclave here in the Western Region. There will also be more power which will serve as a motivation for investors to go into the 1D1F”. The relocation of the karpowership from Tema to Sekondi is in line with government’s plan to ensure the full utilization of gas from the country’s oil fields. By Eric Adjei|3news.com|Ghana]]>