In line with encouraging staff to enhance their insight in the GRIDCo business, and the energy sector, the Safety Management Team organised a tour of the Bui Power Authority’s (BPA) Power Generating facilities for staff who were in Sunyani for the Safety Quiz.
The BPA visit allowed the GRIDCo staff to familiarise themselves with BPA’s innovative approach to power generation, focusing on the hydro-generating plant and the solar generating plants.
The tour commenced at the hydro-generating plant. The team explored the control room and gained insight into the engineering and safety protocols that ensure reliable power generation. Mr. Isaac Kulah, the afternoon Shift Leader for the day, explained how the plant operates from generation to power output, to transmission, and then to distribution. Further, he guided staff through the plant’s operation, explaining how the 404MW hydroelectric facility harnesses water from the Black Volta River to generate power.
The hydro plant feeds the grid through four (4) main lines, he added. The lines are Sawla-Wa-Bolga-Tamale line; Kintampo-Tamale-Bolga line; Techiman-Nkoranza-Banda line and the Sunyani-Berekum-Dormaa-Wenchi line. BPA disclosed its plans to expand both the hydro and solar power generating plants.
The highlight of the tour was the visit to BPA’s pioneering Floating Solar PV System site. However, the team made a brief stopover at the Land Solar PV site. The Bui Solar Generating plants produce a total of 55MWp of power; 50MWp from the land site, with an extra 200MW under construction; and 5MWp from the floating site, with plans to expand to 25MWp capacity.
Mr. Michael Dogbe, an Engineer with the Renewables Energy Department (RED), who led the tour at the Floating Solar PV site, informed the group that the BPA Floating Solar Plant is the first of its kind in Ghana, the largest in Africa, and iconic in West Africa. Educating the group further, Mr. Dogbe explained that the solar panels are elevated on floaters and insulated by plastics. He also explained how the system automatically shuts down gradually, when the sun sets and night falls. Mr. Michael Dogbe took his time to address questions on the maintenance of the solar panels undertaken by trained divers and how the power generated is converted, fed into a transformer and eventually fed into the grid.
The visit was an eye-opener, reinforcing the importance of renewable energy in achieving a cleaner and more sustainable energy for Ghana, and this resonates with the year’s safety month celebration theme.
The tour was coordinated by Mr. Ebenezer Azeave, Operations and Maintenance Manager, Renewables, and Mr. Pascal Dery, the Corporate Communications Manager.
