Bui Power Authority to construct 50MW solar station in the Northern Region

All is set for the construction of a 50 megawatt (MW) solar project, estimated to cost US$56million by the Bui Power Authority (BPA) to shore up the country’s energy mix.

The project will be sited at Carpenter, a farming community in the Bole-Bamboi District of the Northern Region. It is expected to be ready in 18 months’ time and it will be executed by Strategic Security Systems International, wholly Ghanaian-owned engineering company.

As a prelude to the 50MW solar project, the BPA has already completed expansion works on the Bui Switchyard to boost its capacity to evacuate 250MW of solar energy to augment the 400MW hydro power there for onward transmission onto the national grid.

The solar project has been earmarked to consume 1,000 acre farmland, belonging to five farmers. After a careful economic assessment of the crops on the land by the BPA in collaboration with Land Valuation Division (LVD) of the Lands Commission, government has agreed to pay a compensation of GH¢42,276.92 to the affected farmers.

At a short ceremony to present the cheques to the farmers at Carpenter, Mr. Fred Oware, CEO of BPA said the solar project, when completed will open-up the area to socio-economic development. He indicated that government was also working assiduously to pay the due compensation to farmers whose lands were taken for the construction of the 400MW Bui Hydroelectric dam.

The CEO of Strategic Security Systems International, Ohenaba Ofori Boateng, announced that grounds work would soon commence once the compensation has been paid.

He indicated that the project would obviously create job opportunities for some locals and foreign national as well.