Karpowership Ghana seeks contract extension beyond August 2027 as Western minister visits

Pinned summary · as of 16:53

Karpowership Ghana wants to keep generating power after its licence runs out in August 2027 and is in talks with the government on that. Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson toured the company's facility in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis on Tuesday, 29 September, and spoke in favour of weighing its contribution.

What we know

• Karpowership Ghana wants its generation deal prolonged beyond August 2027, the month its present licence lapses.
• The company feeds 450 megawatts into the national grid. Sandra Amarquaye, its Corporate Communications Manager, said talks with ministers are under way and it expects them to go well, and that its place in the power sector justifies an extension.
• Mr Nelson visited the facility on Tuesday, 29 September, to see its operations and what it adds to the power sector.
• Mr Nelson said Karpowership used to supply about 23% of Ghana's power and is now down to about 11%, as demand has grown and other independent power producers have entered the market.
• He said rising demand, including from the government's 24-hour economy plan, makes dependable generating capacity important, and that Ghana should not dismiss any viable source of generation while demand keeps growing.
• Mr Nelson acknowledged that the Ministry of Energy has the authority to decide on an extension, but said Karpowership's contribution should be part of its thinking. He said he hopes the ministry will also look at the company's operations, its economic contribution and the country's future power needs.
• He also praised the company's social responsibility work in the Western Region, including scholarships and environmental projects, and urged it to keep supporting the region's development.

Why it matters for Ghana

Karpowership's 450 megawatts is power that homes, shops and factories in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and elsewhere draw on daily, so the choice on its contract bears on how much generating capacity Ghana has after August 2027. The Energy Ministry's decision will also shape how much the company keeps spending on scholarships and environmental work in the Western Region. Mr Nelson's remarks are his view, and no decision on an extension has been announced.