Ghana should develop coal-fired power capacity – energy minister

Ghana should seriously consider developing its coal-fired power capacity, according to its deputy energy minister, John Jinapor. Speaking at a recent book launch in the capital, Accra, the minister played up the potential for coal to help provide reliable power for the African country, saying that the “quest for a sustainable solution to the major hiccups in Ghana’s power generation will not bear much fruit if the viability of coal-fired plants is persistently overlooked.”

“The bottom line is: you cannot eat your cake and have it,” the minister continued. “If you look at other industrialised countries, they are either using coal or have used it to build up their generation to a certain level before starting to look at other sources […] So we will continue engaging in the coal debate. If Ghana intends making a giant leap in power generation, say an additional 1000 MW, we can get that from coal.”

Ghana currently generates most of the its electricity using hydropower and thermal but is facing a supply gap of come 400 MW due to plant shutdowns and reduced hydro generation, resulting in nation-wide power rationing.

China’s Shenzhen Energy Group, parent company of Sunon Asogli Ghana Ltd., has said it plans to spend US$1.5 billion to build a 700 MW coal-fired plant after feasibility studies yielded positive results. The project is expected to include two units of 350 MW and a subsidiary coal port with a 50 000 to berth as a terminal to receive coal from overseas and transmit it to the plant.

Written by Jonathan Rowland

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/power/17062014/ghana_should_develop_coal_fired_power_capacity_energy_minister_coal988/