- The President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, inaugurated the commissioning of the Volta River Authority’s 13MW Kaleo Solar Power Project last week.
- According to President Akufo-Addo, this is the first phase of two which will total 28MW in the end.
“The Akufo-Addo Government has invested heavily in the electricity transmission network, which will enable us evacuate more renewable energy through the national grid, to support the extension of electricity to all parts of Ghana. For this reason, Kaleo has a dedicated transmission line that evacuates power from the current and future solar capacity at Kaleo to the GRIDCo substation at Wa,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo continued, “At peak sun hours, the Kaleo and Lawra plants can meet the entire load at Wa and its environs. This can make Wa the greenest city in Ghana. The completion of the Kaleo Solar Power Plant is consistent with Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions to addressing the effects of climate change.”
The Volta River Authority, he said, has been one of our main vehicles for improving access to electricity and related developments, particularly in the northern parts of the country.
“It completed the first solar plant of 2.5 megawatts in Navrongo way back in 2013. Under this Government, we have successfully completed a 6.5 megawatts solar plant in Lawra, which I personally commissioned. Today, we are here signing-off on this thirteen-megawatt (13MW) addition,” he said
President Akufo-Addo also revealed to the gathering that the construction of another fifteen-megawatt (15MW) plant has already begun, and funding has been duly secured from the German Development Bank (KFW), and is expected to be completed within one year.
In addition to the Kaleo Project providing several benefits, including, increasing the geographic spread of power generation assets; improving the resilience of the national power system; stabilising voltage levels and reliability of power supply in the Upper West Region; and, ultimately, reducing the nation’s carbon footprint, the President stated that the construction of the new 15MW plant is employing some one hundred and thirty (130) people during the construction phase.
“I am glad to note that most of the workers used for some ninety-five percent (95%) of the construction and operational phase are from the nearby communities. The project will serve as a tourism boost for the Kaleo community, and as a destination for educational and technological field trips in the Region. It will contribute to promoting the advancement of science education, engineering and technological activities in this area, and broaden the career outlook of our young people,” he concluded.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
