A slow-burning Takoradi-3 thermal power plant of $ 280 million

Company News of Thursday, March 14, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-03-14

The Takoradi-3 (T3) thermal power plant, worth $ 280 million, located in the enclave of Aboadze Power in Shama District, in the Western Region , remained unused for approximately six years due to operational failures.

After its inauguration in April 2013, the plant operated for approximately six months, generating between 60 and 70 megawatts (MW) of power before it failed and has not been repaired since.

Built to generate 132 MW, the plant has, since ventilation, added no megawatt to the national grid.

Nothing is happening

When the Daily Graphic visited the enclave yesterday, no activity was underway.

An on-site engineer, who requested anonymity, asked why millions of dollars would be invested in a plant and left behind.

He added that the plant would soon be a complete waste if nothing was done to fix it.

"We use some of the components, accessories and chemicals supplied with the plant to do minimal work, but when it's all over, I can tell you that we will not have money to bring back the plant and it will be a story, "he said.

Take control

The government has taken over the T3 project after successful completion of work by the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC).

His break-up provoked a dispute between the engineers of the national power generator, the Volta River Authority (VRA), and the traditional leaders of the region who allegedly claimed that the gods were angry because the factory was located on the place rest of the gods of the earth. .

Corrosion by hot gas

It was later realized that the failure was due to improper fueling of the plant, which resulted in a problem known as hot gas corrosion.

This led to a brawl between the Ghanaian government's technical team and the contractors, who constantly blamed who supplied the fuel that did not meet the plant's specifications.

The T3 project was an agreement between the Government of Ghana and the CCC.

Several missed promises were made to avoid further delays in its business operations.

Blame game

The source explained that when the spare parts were finished, the factory would deteriorate more quickly and the country could lose the millions of dollars invested in the project.

The challenge between the contractor and Ghana was that the Ghanaian side was supplying off-specification light crude oil to test the plant, but Ghanaian engineers had rejected that badertion.

The engineers explained that prior to the supply of fuel, samples had been taken and that the contractor had confirmed that it was safe.

According to the source, since the problem, which occurred during the expected liability period for defects, had been reported to CCC and the contractor about six years ago, nothing had been done to remedy.

Property and VRA

"The accompanying parts for minimal work on the factory are almost exhausted and, as a result, the new plant will soon be scrapped.

"We have seen this happen at the Osagyefo barge in Jomoro and we are witnessing it here. More than $ 280 million has been spent here.

Why should we allow this to happen? Asked the source.

When asked why the VRA was not taking over the facilities, she explained that the VRA had chosen to take over the plant and replace the engines with private partnerships, but that the contract was not binding. not the VRA and the CCC.

"We are just to operate; the plant is on behalf of the Government of Ghana, "he said.