After being shut down for over three weeks, the relocated Karadeniz Powership Osman Khan (Karpowership) powership has resumed power production.
This is after its successful relocation from Tema to the Sekondi Naval Base at Sekondi-Takoradi.
All requisite commissioning works and operational tests have been completed and the powership has begun supplying power to the national grid, according to a statement from Karpowership Ghana Company Limited.
“The 470MW Powership would continue to operate on Heavy Fuel Oil to supply reliable and sustainable electricity to the national grid until ongoing works on the gas pipeline are completed and the pipeline is fully commissioned,” the statement said.
The company also thanked all stakeholders “who have been involved in the success of the Project.”
To save millions of dollars annually and in line with its strategic policy, the government decided to relocate the powership from Tema to the Western Region to utilise the natural gas from its Western Enclave.
Ghana Gas has said it will begin supplying gas from the Atuoabu gas processing plant to the Karpowership in October.
The company at the end of August said setting up and laying of pipelines to power the relocated Karpowership was about 85 per cent complete.
Ghana Gas expects to be supplying 60 to 70 million standard cubic feet worth of gas on a daily basis.
The relocation was also to ensure Karpowership reaches its maximum power production capacity.
The 470-megawatt capacity Karpowership, which was berthed and operating from Tema was providing 450 megawatts of power to augment the country’s energy supply.
The Karpowerhsip was brought into the country in November 2015 during Ghana’s power crisis to replace a 225 megawatts power barge.
The arrival of the powership was in consonance with the Power Purchase Agreement signed with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) requiring Karpowership Ghana Company Limited to provide a total of 450 megawatts and directly feed it into the national grid for 10 years.