Mahama promises construction of second gas processing plant to boost capacity at Atuabo
President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his commitment to constructing a second gas processing plant to expand capacity at the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.
The proposed Phase Two project is aimed at complementing the existing facility operated by Ghana National Gas Company Limited, which has already secured land for the expansion.
The initiative follows calls from civil society organisations urging government to fast-track the project to strengthen Ghana’s energy sector and meet rising demand.
Speaking during his “Resetting Ghana Tour” at Koforidua, President Mahama indicated that increasing gas supply from ongoing and planned investments makes the expansion necessary.
He disclosed that partners in the Jubilee fields are investing about $2 billion to boost gas output, while Italian energy firm Eni has also committed $1.5 billion to increase supply.
According to him, the additional gas inflows will exceed the processing capacity of the current Atuabo plant, necessitating the construction of a second facility to handle the surplus and supply gas to power generation companies.
President Mahama noted that the expansion could significantly increase Ghana’s electricity generation capacity to nearly 6,000 megawatts, which would be sufficient to meet the country’s energy needs for the next 10 to 15 years without the immediate construction of new plants.
He also highlighted rising electricity consumption driven by economic growth, stating that demand has increased from about 3,500 megawatts to a peak of 4,300 megawatts.
The President stressed the importance of forward planning in the energy sector, noting that building excess capacity would not only ensure reliability but also position Ghana to export power to neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso and Togo to earn foreign exchange.
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