Ghana to get power plant from Libya, Russia

The Akosombo Dam

Ghana is among some developing countries that will soon get a power plant to augment their power supply needs.

Reports reaching ghanabusinessnews.com indicate that Russian state-owned Technopromexport has announced in Moscow. The reports say the Russian power plant builder and Libya's African Investment Portfolio have teamed up to form a new company, Laptechno-Power which will build and operate the power facilities.

The other countries that would benefit from the projects are Libya, Uganda, Algeria, Egypt, Yemen and Namibia.

The US$ 6.73 billion cost of the projects will be borne by Libya African Investments Portfolio. According to Technopromexport “Top priority projects for Laptechno-Power will be the construction of a 1250km electric transmission line with a capacity of 400 kW in Libya and a 300 MW hydro power plant on the Blue Nile River in Uganda.”

Technopromexport is building hydroelectric, thermal, geothermal and diesel power plants, and power transmission lines in 50 countries around the world.

Ghana has been experiencing power shortages for some time now. The country has a hydropower plant at Akosombo, but perennial water shortages in the dam affects power supply, occasionally plunging the entire country into darkness.

The country has constructed a thermal plant to supplement its power supply needs but a lot more needs to be done to meet the power supply requirement that would bolster economic growth.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi