French Ambassador inaugurates GRIDCo’s Adubiliyili Sub-station

By Samuel SAM

The French Ambassador to Ghana, Jules Armand Aniambossou, has formally inaugurated the 161-kilovolt (kV) Adubiliyili Sub-station of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), as part of efforts to reinforce power infrastructure in the Northern, North-East and Upper East Regions of the country.

Constructed as part of GRIDCo’s broader 330kV Kumasi–Bolgatanga transmission line project, the Adubiliyili Sub-station, completed in 2019, is a collaborative effort between Eiffage Energies Transport and Distribution and ABB AG Joint Venture of France.

The project, which the Government of France funded through the Agence Française de Development (AFD) with a financial outlay of US$173.9million, also received an additional €5million European Union (EU) grant dedicated to project management, supervision, and project works.

The primary objective of the project is to enhance power supply, stability and reliability in the specified regions, addressing the growing electricity demand. The European Union grant further supported project management activities, ensuring effective supervision and execution.

The Adubiliyili Sub-station, positioned in the Northern Belt, plays a pivotal role in facilitating the transmission of 150MW power to Burkina Faso.

During a working visit to the sub-station in Tamale, the ambassador witnessed first-hand the positive impact of the collaborative efforts between GRIDCo, the government and their French counterparts.

The project’s inauguration highlights France-Ghana partnership and EU cooperation. The ambassador’s visit, therefore, served as an opportunity to engage with facility managers, assess the sub-station’s performance and emphasise its crucial role in powering the city of Tamale while enabling power export of up to 200MW to Burkina Faso.

The completion of the Adubiliyili Sub-station marks a significant milestone in advancing the energy landscape in northern Ghana, fostering economic growth and strengthening diplomatic ties between the countries involved.

At a brief ceremony to inaugurate the project, Ambassador Aniambossou commended Ghana for the commitment to accomplish the project.

“France and the EU delegation have worked closely with GRIDCo for many years on the Kumasi-Bolgatanga Transmission Line and we can appreciate the results here today. I am impressed by Ghana’s long-term commitment to ensuring a reliable and efficient power network for the Northern Region,” he said.

GRIDCo, he noted, has shown an “incredible level of expertise and efficiency with the construction and maintenance of the sub-station and the entire transmission project”.

Furthermore, he said the Government of France, in close partnership with the EU delegation, is already working with Ghanaian authorities on new energy projects to enhance energy efficiency in the country.

The Board Chairman of GRIDCo, Kabral Blay-Amihere, also speaking at the ceremony, said the project has positively enhanced the grid to the residents of Adubiliyili and the Tamale Metropolis and Burkina Faso.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GRIDCo, Ebenezer Kofi Essienyi, added that GRIDCo currently transmits electricity to thirty-one bulk customers and distribution utilities from 11 wholesale suppliers, including the Volta River Authority (VRA).

GRIDCo, he noted, is proud of its pioneering and impactful role in Ghana’s power sector, which ensures reliable transmission of electricity across the country.

Ing. Essienyi further stressed that the strategic partnership with France through AFD and the EU has positioned GRIDCo to deliver critical energy projects to improve efficiency and ensure a robust national grid.

“GRIDCo would continue to improve its transmission assets and quality power supply in Ghana and beyond to effectively carry out its mandate to impact positively on the socio-economic development of Ghana and Africa as a whole,” he said.

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