Works Starts on 350 MW Cenpower Kpone IPP project

Vice President Amissah-Arthur breaking the ground with an escavator

From Edmund Mingle, Kpone

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur yesterday cut the sod for the construction of a 900 million-dollar Independent Power Plant at Kpone, with the aim to boosting the country’s power generation.
The plant, being built by Cenpower Generation Company, has the capacity to generate 350megawatts of power that would increase the country’s generation capacity by about 14 per cent.
The first Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) power project, the plant is expected to be completed in 32 months. It would operate a tri-compatible system that has the ability to use gas, light crude oil and distillate to generate electric power.
The project is being funded by a consortium of international financial institutions, and the ownership of the plant would be transferred to the Electricity Company of Ghana after the expiration of the 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
Vice President Amissah-Arthur said execution of the project, was part of government’s efforts to increase power generation to meet the high demand for electricity in the country.
“This couldn’t have come at a better time,” he said adding that the challenges in the power sector called for the active involvement of the private sector to produce more electricity to meet both industrial and domestic demand.
“We need the lights on,” the vice President said, and called for more independent power producers (IPPs) in the sector.
He noted that there were currently 16 power projects at various stages of implementation, and hoped that their completion would significantly increase the country’s power generation capacity, currently at 2,800 MW.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur assured the project managers of the government’s cooperation and support towards the successful completion of the project, and also urged them to cooperate with the host community for peaceful co-existence.
Nana Sam Brew-Butler, Chairman of Cenpower Generation Company Limited, said that among other benefits, the project incorporated a collector sub-station that would serve other projects in the energy enclave at Kpone, adding that the sub-station would eventually be transferred to the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo).
He said the construction stage would create employment for about 600 Ghanaians, after which about 70 jobs would be created during the operational stage.
He said as one of the largest African-led IPP projects in Africa, the project had been adjudged the best African Power Deal 2014 by the Financial Planning Institute in London.

Unicorn secures Air Carrier Licence

October 8, 2014

By Edmund Mingle

Unicorn Air Charter Service, one of the new Ghanaian airlines has secured it Air Carrier Licence (ACL), ahead of its start of flight operations.

George Afful, Unicorn CEO

The ACL paves the way for the airline towards acquiring the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) which is the final authority from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to enable it to commence commercial operations.

The certification process for the AOC, which take about 60 days for small airlines, is underway, and if the company is successful, it will add to the increasing number of local airlines operating in the regional aviation industry.

Mr. Abdulai Alhassan, Acting Director General of GCAA, handing over the ACL to the management of the airline at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra yesterday, described Unicorn’s acquisition of the ACL as “another milestone on the growth and development of the aviation industry in Ghana.”

That, he said, was in line with the government’s objective of making Ghana a safe and preferred regional hub to promote regional integration and connectivity.

“This is made possible with the establishment of vibrant and sustainable airlines, coupled with the development of news airline routes, infrastructure and capacity improvement,” he said.

In that regard, he said the Authority, remained committed to the airline operators by providing capacity building support.

He announced that the GCAA would soon commission its modern Aviation Training Academy complex to enhance its training operations towards improving standards in the industry in the sub-region, adding that advanced navigational equipment and facilities have also been procured and installed for promote safety.

He commended the management of Unicorn Air for the achievement, and urged it to do well to satisfy the conditions to be able to obtain the AOC.

A subsidiary of UHI Holdings, Unicorn Air Charter Services aims aims at offering charters flights services for business, sports and medical evacuation purposes, and other ancillary services.

Mr. George N. Afful, Chief Executive Officer of Unicorn Air, who received the licence, thanked the GCAA for the support and cooperation, and pledged to abide by the terms and conditions of the ACL, and deploy the highest safety and quality standards in all their operations.

“Unicorn Air is currently undergoing the certification for the AOC in fulfilment of GCAA’s requirement prior to the commencement of commercial flight operations using our HS-125 800XP aircraft,” he said.

UHI Holdings is one of Ghana's thriving firms with holdings in haulage & logistics, microfinance, security services, wholesale & retail of mineral water, and business development consultancy.