The Aboadze Thermal Plant Monday, received its first gas for power generation from the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant in the Ellembelle District in the Western Region.

Prior to the arrival of the gas at the Aboadze Metering Station, engineers of the Volta River Authority (VRA) had assessed the quality of the gas and given assent for its onward transfer to the plants at the thermal units.

When the Daily Graphic visited the plant at Aboadze yesterday, engineers were working around the clock to open the valves to the thermal units.

The Head of Business and Planning at the VRA, Mr Jacob B. Yawson, said the Takoradi Plant 1 (T1) and T3 were ready to be powered by the gas from Atuabo.

He said the volume of gas from the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant would enable the T1 to run 100 per cent on gas.

He explained that although the gas had arrived, the two sides had to go through the specification process before it was introduced to the plant.

“We expect not less than 20 million standard cubic feet (scf) daily. However, if Ghana Gas will deliver 30 to 60 million scf, next week I can tell you it will be good news for us,” he said

Permit

The Jubilee Partners obtained the necessary permit on October 27, 2014 for a limited flow of 16 million scf of gas daily to the processing plant at Atuabo for the pre-commissioning and commissioning phase of the project for the next six weeks.

That was after the production platform, the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah, had been connected to the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant.

Although the gas is expected to ramp up to full capacity in the first quarter of 2015, the progress of work is said to be moving as per the design of the plant.

Current gas flow

The current flow of gas has become possible after smaller volumes of about 16 million scf had been pumped through the pipelines until it reached the full capacity.

It is expected that after the six-week commissioning, which will last for 42 days, gas will be made available to Ghana Gas in commercial quantities.