Nigerian conglomerate Sahara Group is set to build a 2,000MW thermal plant in Ghana in a bid to boost the country’s generation capacity
According to officials from Sahara Group, the company is in talks with Volta River Authority (VRA) to construct the thermal power plant.
Recently, Sahara Group completed Nigeria’s largest thermal power plant at Lagos. The Egbin Power Plant has a capacity of 1,320MW with a planned expansion of 2,640MW, and is currently Nigeria’s largest thermal power distributor. Officials from Sahara Group said that they were keen on completing the learning process on the Nigerian plant, prior to replicating the model in Ghana.
Ghana faces several power challenges – power generation deficits usually fluctuate between 150MW and 250MW, which worsen during maintenance periods or breakdowns – but Sahara Group officials are confident that there are multiple power generation opportunities in the West African nation.
In addition, the country relies heavily on hydroelectric power, which proves risky when water levels drop. VRA along with power generation major GE is planning to develop projects that would add nearly 1,420MW of power to Ghana’s national grid. By September 2016, GE plans to add 360MW to the grid.
With a 60 per cent interest in Nigeria’s Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company and 70 per cent stake in First Independent Power Ltd, Sahara Group is single largest producer of power in Nigeria. The company hopes to replicate the same model in Ghana, and ease electricity deficits in the country.
