President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled plans to construct a 1,200-megawatt gas-fired power plant as part of efforts to expand Ghana’s electricity generation capacity and meet rising demand.
Speaking during the “Resetting Ghana” tour in the Eastern Region on Saturday, May 2, the President disclosed that the government is set to cut sod this year to commence work on the project.
He explained that the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen the country’s energy sector by increasing generation capacity and building redundancy into the system to ensure a stable power supply.
According to the President, electricity consumption has risen in recent years, driven largely by economic growth and increased investment.
“Looking at how the country is growing, the consumption of electricity is increasing. When we came to power, consumption was about 3,500 megawatts, but currently peak demand has risen to about 4,300 megawatts,” he stated.
He emphasised the need to expand generation capacity to keep pace with demand and safeguard the reliability of the national grid.
“So it means we have to add more generation so that we can get redundancy,” he added.
The President further revealed that the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Finance have already completed the design and roadmap for the project, clearing the path for construction to begin.
Beyond addressing domestic energy needs, President Mahama noted that the additional capacity will position Ghana to export surplus electricity to neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, thereby generating foreign exchange and strengthening regional energy trade.
“By God’s grace, this year we will cut sod for its commencement,” he said.
The proposed plant is expected to play a critical role in stabilising Ghana’s power supply, supporting industrial growth, and enhancing the country’s position as a key energy hub in the sub-region.