By Dipo Olowookere
Ghana’s 400 megawatts Bridge Power plant project in Tema has received a boost with the supply of the power generation equipment for the project by GE.
The equipment, which will be used in the first phase of the project, will collectively generate 200 MW of power, while an additional 200 MW of power would be deployed in stage two of the project.
The equipment scope includes GE’s TM2500 gas turbine generator sets and GE’s steam turbines in a combined cycle (CC) configuration.
This will be the first time the TM2500 gas turbines will be used in a combined cycle configuration globally and marks a milestone for the technology, which was also selected this week for Angola’s ambitious electrification program led by PRODEL.
“The Bridge Power plant successfully brings together the need for a cost-effective fuel solution, in this case liquefied petroleum gas, with an integrated power solution driven by GE’s latest flexible technology” said Leslie Nelson, CEO, GE’s Gas Power Systems for Sub Saharan Africa.
The 400 megawatt (MW) Bridge Power and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) import, storage, and transportation infrastructure project will address Ghana’s long-term energy requirements by providing enough electricity for the equivalent of up to 17 percent of the country’s capacity. Upon completion, it will be Africa’s first LPG fired power plant and the world’s largest plant of its kind. The fuel-flexible plant will also be capable of being fuelled by LPG, natural gas or diesel.
Bridge Power is being developed by the Early Power Limited (“EPL”) consortium under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG). The EPL consortium comprises of Endeavor Energy, a leading independent power development and generation company focused on Africa; Sage, a leading independent trading firm in Ghana; and GE (General Electric).
The Bridge power plant project will bring much needed electricity to Ghana and is expected to have an immediate positive impact on the reliable operation of schools, factories, offices, other local businesses, hospitals, and households. The project is another example of how GE works with the government, corporate customers and other stakeholders in Ghana. Together, GE and its customers in Ghana support economic growth through infrastructure development in the power, oil & gas and healthcare sectors. In March this year, GE opened a 5,600 square meter oil & gas facility in Takoradi, that will serve as a primary service center for deep-water offshore projects.
Adedapo Adesanya