Leading the energy evolution in Ghana

Ghana aspires to industrialize, modernize its agriculture, and provide economic opportunities for its growing population of 28.2 million. One of key constraints to this vision is its unreliable and costly supply of electric power, and the sector’s significant financial deficit.

Ghana currently has over 4,000 MW of installed generation capacity, though actual availability rarely exceeds 2,400 MW due to changing hydrological conditions, inadequate fuel supplies and dilapidated infrastructure. With a significant endowment of natural gas and renewable energy to generate electricity, it is poised to overcome these constraints by partnering with companies such as MYTILINEOS.

MYTILINEOS, a Greek multinational industrial company, through METKA, its EPC & Infrastructure Business Unit with strong experience in undertaking energy infrastructure development and implementation of sustainable engineering projects, as well as the construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of existing thermal power plants in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, has focused the last 5 years in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in a country with crucial demands and substantial needs for reliable power, Ghana.

As a leading international player in turn-key energy projects, MYTILINEOS, with its core strengths in Engineering-Procurement-Construction (EPC) and manufacturing, has not only contributed to Ghana’s energy needs and provision of sustainable solutions through 3 different projects, but is also in the country to leverage its industry expertise and financial capacity, and to provide financing and life-cycle solutions for critical power projects.

The first 2 projects

The first EPC and Operation & Maintenance activity by MYTILINEOS in the growing market of sub-Saharan Africa was part of the Government of Ghana’s emergency plan to address the critical electricity supply shortages in the country.

Since 2016, a 250 MW Fast Power project with 10 General Electric TM2500+ mobile gas turbine power generating sets has been operational in the Takoradi region, with MYTILINEOS carrying out full operations and maintenance services.

MYTILINEOS’ second project in Ghana is the construction of an additional major project, a 200MW combined cycle dual fuel power plant in Takoradi (Amandi Energy), which includes the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the power plant. This project emphasizes the company’s commitment to become a leading player in the sub-Saharan Africa power market.

The Bridge Project

Located in Tema, Ghana, the Bridge Power project is a transformational project for the area, as it will rapidly add necessary, heavily needed generation capacity to a country with vital energy needs.  Specifically, a consortium called Early Power Limited, comprising of Endeavor Energy, Sage Trading Group, a leading Ghanaian fuels company, and General Electric has accomplished a critical construction milestone for the Bridge Power Plant in Ghana, with a Notice to Proceed for stage 1 representing 202MW of the total 400 MW project. The EPC Business Unit of MYTILINEOS – METKA is the construction contractor with a contract value approximately US$363 million and this is its third project in Ghana.

At first the Bridge Project will generate electricity using liquified petroleum gas (LPG) as its primary fuel, eventually becoming one of the largest LPG fueled power plants in the world, meeting the most demanding and strict local and international environmental requirements. Ultimately, when natural gas becomes available in Tema, the plant will be able to switch and run on natural gas as its primary fuel and LPG will become the “back-up” fuel. Once this happens, its LPG infrastructure will be used to provide environmentally friendly LPG for domestic and other uses in the country. As a result, not only will the project transform Ghana’s current power generation fuel mix through the addition of secure, lower cost LPG supply, but it will also contribute in a practical and effective way to Ghana’s urgent energy needs.

Focus

MYTILINEOS has evolved throughout the years into a leading international EPC contractor, working on some of the most complex and challenging power projects in the world with its unmatched responsiveness, flexibility and impeccable track-record.

In addition to the track-record in successful project execution, MYTILINEOS pursues its development strategy and aims to expand its business activities into new regional markets with booming energy needs.

Care for the communities

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a multi-faceted and complex practice for MYTILINEOS, mainly characterized by the company’s conscious self-commitment to responsible entrepreneurship and continuous improvement. As such, the presence of MYTILINEOS in Ghana is not limited to energy projects, as it puts strong emphasis on supporting local communities and seeks to promote the balanced and varied development of these communities by actively supporting their cultural life and education.

Particularly in Africa, where MYTILINEOS EPC & Infrastructure Project Sector is prominently present, the company has pledged to support the emergency needs of local communities pushing forward their development and prosperity. In this context, they have already donated much needed facilities to the St. Nicholas preparatory school, located in the port of Tema New town (same district as the Bridge Project) and inaugurated a three-classroom block to create an extension to the school’s teaching units.

Within the past five years of its presence in the country, MYTILINEOS has also employed over 2.000 local people. The Bridge Project, will lead to job openings for hundreds of people (mostly Ghanaians), while a further 125 will be employed as part of ongoing operations of the life of the plant. The numbers will increase since 250 indirect (mainly local) jobs will be created to support the project. Hence, the project does not only represent a significant capital investment in Ghana, but also an important mechanism to boost local employment. After all, a strategic objective of the company is to contribute to the prosperity of the regions where it operates, by providing jobs for residents of nearby areas and by contributing to the development of these regions.

MYTILINEOS’s presence

The strategic focus of MYTILINEOS to become a leading player in the Sub-Saharan Africa and West Africa energy market, whilst expanding its existing business operations in these areas, is apparent and will continue to grow.

In a national and international environment full of social and economic challenges, MYTILINEOS’ main aspiration is to remain a healthy and sustainable business that will be able to create added value for everyone, contributing to a better future for the country.