Ghana’s drive towards a green energy transition has received a major boost with the completion of a 50-megawatt (MWp) solar power plant at Galgu, a farming community in the Yendi Municipality in the Northern Region.
The $59-million facility, executed by First Sky Limited under an Engineering, Procurement and Construction with Financing (EPCF) arrangement with the Bui Power Authority (BPA), is expected to improve electricity supply in the municipality and the Eastern Corridor enclave.
It would also help ease pressure on existing power transmission infrastructure and reduce the risk of power outages and voltage fluctuations.
The construction work was executed entirely by First Sky Limited, a wholly Ghanaian construction company, whose engineers undertook the planning, installation and construction works without foreign technical support.
Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy and Mines visited the facility last Monday to inspect the project and assess its operational status.
During the visit, the committee observed that the facility had been completed, tested and connected to the national grid.
The Chairman of the committee, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, expressed satisfaction with the project and commended First Sky Limited for delivering the facility using local expertise.
He said the project demonstrated the capacity of indigenous Ghanaian companies to undertake major energy infrastructure projects when given the opportunity.
A section of the facility
“I am really impressed with the work First Sky has done. I did not know that an indigenous Ghanaian company had the capacity to execute such a project," he said.
Mr Bedzrah said the facility would support socio-economic development by harnessing the country's renewable energy resources to provide reliable and cost-effective electricity to residents and businesses in the area.
He reiterated the government's commitment to expanding renewable energy generation as part of efforts to strengthen electricity supply and advance the country's green energy transition.
For his part, the Ranking Member of the Committee, George Kwame Aboagye, said Ghana was making progress towards meeting its commitments under the Paris Agreement on green energy transition.
He said northern Ghana had considerable solar energy potential that needed to be harnessed to increase renewable energy generation and strengthen the country's electricity supply.
The Director of the Engineering Department at the BPA, Peter Acheampong, said the plant would contribute to reducing carbon emissions and promoting the use of clean energy in the country.
Mr Acheampong disclosed that the BPA board had approved the construction of an additional 300MWp of solar power capacity in northern Ghana to further increase renewable energy generation.
Ingenuity of local content
The Executive Chairman of the First Sky Group, Eric Seddy Kutortse, expressed excitement about the successful completion and connection of the solar power project executed by First Sky Limited, a member of the First Sky Group, on behalf of Bui Power, a leading player in Ghana’s renewable energy sector.
He said the achievement signified full validation of the resourcefulness of local expertise at the disposal of the country.
Mr Kutortse stated that with the completion of the 50MW Solar PV generating power station constructed with wholly Ghanaian engineers, the case had been made strongly for local expertise to fully take charge of the energy environment of the country.
He said the nation boasted enough local capacity to deliver present and future energy projects to accelerate economic development.
Project completion
The Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee at First Sky Limited, Charles Gidi, said construction of the Galgu plant was completed in September this year, followed by its testing and connection to the national grid.
He said the company's engineers undertook the entire construction process, demonstrating the technical capacity of local firms to deliver major energy infrastructure projects.
Local economy
The Yendi Municipal Chief Executive, Suguri Muniru, commended the BPA, First Sky Limited and the government for the project.
He said the facility was already contributing to the local economy through job creation, particularly for young people, while creating opportunities for economic activity in the municipality.
