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Power barge fails to set sail

The humongous engineering structure was only moved from the quay after commissioning in order to create space for other bigger vessels to berth at the position the barge was occupying.

 

The first power barge to produce 225 megawatts of electricity to alleviate the rolling power cuts is yet to set sail to Ghana.

The humongous engineering structure was only moved from the quay after commissioning in order to create space for other bigger vessels to berth at the position the barge was occupying.

Sources in Turkey intimated that as at Monday, 2nd November, 2015, the Ghanaian authorities were seeking partnership for the provision of fuel, on which the power barge would run upon arrival at the fishing harbour’s man- made semi submerged maritime structure, to prevent the barge from drifting to shallow ground.

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Investigations revealed that immediately after the commissioning ceremony, a Ghanaian reporter, without further consultation with the authorities, pushed the story that the power barge was on its way to Ghana.

A renowned international bank is said to be ready to facilitate the fuel provision , but are sceptical, hence requesting for a well-rehearsed agreement.

The country was last week awash with reports that at long last, the Turkish power barge has finally set sail set Tuesday and expected to spend ten days at sea, and per this calculation, it is expected in the country by Thursday.

When the media contacted the Power Minister, Dr. Kwabena Donkor on the new development as to the doubts surrounding the barge, he referred to his ministry’s public relations officer who was not available for comments.

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The government, in order to resolve the power crisis, which has bedevilled the nation, contracted Karpower for the supply of two emergency power plants with the capacity of producing 225 megawatts each.

The first one was expected to be in the country in April, 2015, but due to unexplained reasons, the arrival date was postponed to September.

Just last week, the news came that power barge had set sail from the Turkish port of Istanbul on Tuesday October, 27, 2015 only for it to emerge that the generating plant is still moored in the partly European ad partly Asian country fTurkey.

It has however been established that if the fuel problem is solved, the barge would begin her journey to Ghana this week, with the support of speed boat.

Dr. Donkor, who few months ago pledged to resign as Minister if by the end of this year the power crisis is not abated, last week said at Dawa, in the Greater Accra region that the power barge is expected to enter Ghanaian waters in 15 days.

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Source: The Chronicle

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