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The Africa and Asia Middle East Resources and Investment (AMERI) emergency power plant under construction at the Aboadze power enclave is expected to begin commercial operations in February this year. 

Work on the power plant, which would provide additional 250 mega watts of power to the national generation capacity, is progressing steadily.

This came to light when Board Members of the Energy Commission led by its Board Chairman, Dr. Kwame Ampofo, paid a working visit to the plant at the Aboadze Power Station on Wednesday, to acquit themselves with progress of work.

Mr. Kostakis Marismos, the Project Manager of METKA, contractors fixing the various components of the plant, told the delegation that they were working hard to meet the deadline in view of the importance the government attached to the project and, thus worked 24 hours per day within the week to meet the target.

The power plant has 10 units and five transformers with each unit having the capacity to generate 24MW.

Each transformer would support two units while power that would be generated would be evacuated through 161 kilovolt substation to interface with the existing network.

The plant would rely on supply of natural gas from the Atuabo gas processing plant for generation of power.

Dr. Ampofo expressed satisfaction at the quality of work done so far by the contractors and expressed the hope that it would be completed on schedule to ensure uninterrupted power supply to Ghanaians.

“Normally construction of power plant takes about three years for completion but considering the approval of this project in February last year by the Cabinet and the current state of construction is very impressive,” he observed.

He also expressed satisfaction over the fire and safety precautions instituted by the contractors and indicated that as a state regulator, it would always protect the interest of Ghanaians.

AMERI had signed an agreement with the Government of Ghana to build, operate and transfer (BOT) the plant for a period of five years.

Other members of the Board that accompanied Dr. Ampofo on the tour included Mr. Michael Opam, acting Executive Secretary, Dr. Rudith King, Mr. Stephen Duodu and Mr. Kobina Fosu.