Work commences on Pokuase Bulk Supply Point

Work has commenced on the construction of the first phase of the USD33.5 million Bulk Supply Point (BSP) at Pokuase in the Ga West district. The project is aimed at improving the quality of power supplied to the northern parts of Accra.

The BPS project which is to be undertaken by a Spanish company, Messrs Elecnor S.A, would take some 24 months to complete.

The BSP, the largest to be installed in Ghana when completed, is one of the major infrastructural projects in the USD 498.2 million Ghana Power Compact funded by the United States government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

At a ground breaking ceremony on Tuesday, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a speech read for him by the Chief of Staff, Frema Akosua Osei Opare, described the project as a “major mile stone in the country’s quest to develop a robust, resilient and reliable electricity supply system that is comparable to top quality networks around the world.”

He said the project, the fourth bulk supply point in Accra, which would address power supply challenges in Accra and surrounding areas, fell in line with government’s objectives of ensuring reliable supply of power to industry “so as to diversify our economy and help realise our vision of moving Ghana to a situation beyond aid.”

The 330kv Pokuase BSP is the first among a number of compact-funded interventions that would supply vital infrastructure required to improve the distribution of electric power and to support the realisation of the financial and technical turnaround of the operations of the utility power distributor, PDS.

The project would significantly enhance PDS services to customers in Pokusase, Kwabenya, Legon, Nsawam and surrounding towns and villages.

President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that the project would strengthen power distribution in Ghana and lessen transmission losses in the electricity sector and make the scourge of “dumsor” a thing of the past.

“It is the expectation of Government that consumers at all levels would benefit from improved availability, good quality and reliability of supply within the areas that the project would serve,” he said

He continued “I am informed that there would be reduced outages, cost effective delivery of service and reduced aggregate technical losses, following the addition of the vital input to the assets of our distribution utilities. These are the hallmarks of a country that is in a hurry to develop.”

President Akufo-Addo said government was working over the last 28 months to put in measures that would improve the living conditions of the Ghanaian people.

“We have begun to work on the fundamentals of the economy, because we believe that an improved macro-economy is fundamental to stimulate the needed investment for significant expansion and growth of the national economy and the generation of wealth,” he said.

The President urged the contractors working on the project to ensure that Ghana got a well-designed system, comparable to any such facility in the world and “we shall count on your professionalism”.

He thanked the United States government for funding the facility that would contribute immensely to the improvement of power supply in the country.

Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, Chairperson of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) Board was confident that the project would increase reliable power supply and bring significant relief to Ghanaian businesses and consumers.

She assured that the project would be delivered within the stipulated construction time.