Ghana Commissions 13 MW Solar Power Plant

• VRA has commissioned 13 MW Kaleo Solar Plant in Ghana with Germany's KfW funding it
• Elecnor was the EPC service provider and Tractebel Engineering the consultant for the facility
• Ghana's President said work on another 15 MW capacity has already started to expand the project to 28 MW

The Kaleo region of Ghana has become home to a 13 MW solar power plant of Volta River Authority (VRA) and may be expanded to 28 MW eventually after the country's President Akufo-Addo presided over the commissioning ceremony.

President Akufo-Addo said construction on another 15 MW plant has already begun and is being funded by the German Development Bank KfW. Its completion is targeted within a year.

The PV facility now expands the country's power generation capacity while expanding VRA's portfolio and will also improve the quality of power supply in the Upper West Region. VRA said it will displace carbon emissions that would have been generated by gas-fired thermal power plants.

Under its Renewable Energy Development Programme (REDP), VRA previously developed a 2.5 MW solar plant in Navrongo and 6.5 MW in Lawra. Now its solar power generation capacity has further expanded with 13 MW Kaleo Solar Project. VRA said power purchase agreements (PPA) have been signed with some of its existing customers including Newmont Ghana Limited.

Akufo-Addo added, "At peak sun hours, the Kaleo and Lawra plants can meet the entire load at Wa and its environs. This can make Wa the greenest city in Ghana. The completion of the Kaleo Solar Power Plant is consistent with Ghana's Nationally Determined Contributions to addressing the effects of climate change."

The 13 M Kaleo Solar Project was built by Spain's Elecnor as its EPC service provider and Germany's Tractebel Engineering as the consultant. KfW shelled out €12.39 million as loan for the solar plant with the VRA adding counterpart funding equivalent of €8.12 million.

The latter amount was used for land acquisition, permits and licenses, preparation of environmental and social impact studies, feasibility studies, grid impact studies, local taxes and import duties.

VRA expects the 13 MW plant to become a local tourist attraction and can be used for practical studies for solar power by the country's technical universities in the northern part.

In December 2020, the Bui Power Authority (BPA) brought online a 5 MW floating solar power plant in Ghana's Bui Hydropower Dam (see 5 MW Floating Solar PV Capacity Commissioned In Ghana).