Vice President Bawumia has outdoored a US$50 million Bulk Supply Point (BSP) at Kasoa in the Central region.
The 435-mega volts amperes (MVA) plant is to beef up the existing electrical power supply to Kasoa and its surrounding areas with a total of 250,000 residents of Senya Breku, Bawjiase, Nyanyano, Tuba, and Tokuse.
It will thus complement the Winneba and Mallam power substations.
This is the second largest BSP to be constructed in the country after the one in Pokuase.
The Kasoa BSP is one of a few Gas insulated Switchgears equipped with a Static Var Compensator.
Construction works on the Kasoa BSP began in February 2020 and executed by Messrs Siemens Energy SAS of France and supervised by SMEC International.
Speaking at the inauguration, Vice President Bawumia noted that the project was part of the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) Financial and Operational Turnaround Project under the Ghana Power Compact II, with US$316 million funding from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an independent agency of the United States Government’s foreign initiative, and US$31 million counterpart funding from the government.
He indicated that the US government through the Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) had invested US$863 million in vital infrastructures in Ghana during the duration of the two Power Compact programmes from 2012 to date, noting that the support had added to the country’s infrastructure requirements.
Dr Bawumia reiterated the Akufo-Addo government’s determination to ensure robust, sustainable and reliable power supply to households and businesses because it was pivotal towards the country’s industrialisation drive.
That notwithstanding, he said government was undertaking several power infrastructure projects to meet the power demand of the ever-increasing population, saying those projects should be sustained even after the Power Compact agreement.
Chairperson of the Board of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu said the facility would help meet the increasing demand for power by consumers in Kasoa and its environs and enhance productivity, incomes and social outcomes for residents in the catchment area.
Out of the 230 key staff and employees who worked on the project, she said 90 per cent were Ghanaians while 16 per cent were females.
That, she said helped in the transfer of essential knowledge and technology to Ghanaians.
Parts of the support fund for the project was also used to construct access roads, walkways and drainage system at the project site, Prof. Ntiamoa-Baidu added.
The Kasoa BSP would be managed by the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Ghana Grid Company.
It was completed in two-and-half years and within budget.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent