The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), through the Millennium Development Agency (MiDA), is to construct a modern bulk supply point (BSP) at Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East municipality.
The Kasoa BSP, which is a 435-mega volt amp gas insulated switchgear sub-station, when completed, will be the second largest BSP in the country after the Pokuase BSP, which is currently under construction.
A statement issued by MiDA indicated that funding for the project is being provided by the United States government through the MCC. The statement added that the funding forms part of the grant funds provided to Ghana under the Ghana Power Compact Programme.
The site is expected to be handed over to the contractor for the start of construction works tomorrow, January 31 2020.
Pre-construction meeting
Ahead of the site handover to the contractor for the start of construction works, a three-day kick-off meeting was organised by MiDA for the beneficiary institutions and Siemens from France, the contractor for the project.
The chief executive officer of MiDA, Martin Eson-Benjamin, in his opening remarks, said the project is a critical asset needed to improve services in order to meet the increasing demands of commerce, industry and numerous domestic consumers located in the fast growing Kasoa municipality and its environs.
In his view, the BSP will help “boost socio-economic activities and support Government’s development agenda planned for the municipality.”
Effects
The construction of the bulk sub-station and its related interconnecting circuits will take 18 months to complete.
Upon completion, the infrastructure will contribute to reducing the frequent power outages suffered by communities and businesses in Kasoa and its surrounding communities.
It will also reduce the transmission and distribution system losses suffered by the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), respectively, and ultimately improve the operational and financial performance of the utilities firms.
The construction of the Kasoa BSP forms part of activities under the ECG Financial and Operational Turnaround (EFOT) Project.
The project seeks to make investments in ECG’s network in order to reduce technical, commercial and collection losses, and improve service quality.
The participating organisations included ECG, GRIDCo, both direct beneficiaries of the sub-station; Project Engineers SMEC PLC; representatives of the MCC, led by Ms Elizabeth Feleke, Deputy Resident Country Director, and other consultants on the project.