The Power Minister, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, has stated at the inaugural ceremony of the Karpower barge’s docking in Tema that “the arrival of this barge will not solve all our problems”.
At the ceremony, which was held on Sunday, November 29, the Minister entreated Ghanaians not to be over-expectant that the power barge will end ‘dumsor’ overnight as it is only one part of the many interventions towards ending the energy crisis that has adversely affected the nation for over three years.
“It will make a contribution. As we speak the 250MW power project at Aboadze is also proceeding and indeed that is even bigger than the Karpower ship… the KTPP Plant 220 MW is also at completion stage and TICO 120MW steam expansion has been completed.
“TAPCO has gone through the full combine cycle and a lot is happening in the sector. We do ourselves and Ghana a disservice when we focus only on the power barge,” the Power Minister added.
Dr. Donkor lauded Mr. Armah Kofi Buah, under whose leadership the contract got executed towards providing extra power to be connected to the national grid.
“I would want to take this opportunity to mention one particular person without whose leadership and dynamism this will never have come into place – the Minister of Petroleum, who initiated this project.”
“It is better late than never. At least it has arrived. Those who felt it will never arrive at least will take consolation in the fact that when government says it will deliver, it delivers.”
Industry players are estimating that the Karpower barge will sell power at 12 cents per unit, which is equivalent to 44 pesewas.
The emergency barge is expected to deliver 225MW of power to ease the load shedding regime.
