Mainstream signs deal to build and operate Ghana’s first utility-scale wind farm
Global wind and solar company Mainstream Renewable Power has announces the signing of an agreement with Swiss wind farm developer NEK Umwelttechnik to purchase the 225 MW Ayitepa wind farm in Ghana.
The project, which represents a total investment of US$525 million, is expected to reach financial close next year and start generating power early in 2016. The wind farm is located 40 kilometres from Accra on the east coast of Ghana.
The companies will co-develop the wind farm until financial close. Mainstream will manage the construction as well as the operations and maintenance of the wind farm for its lifecycle. The project is currently in the latter stages of development with all major permits secured. Grid and offtake agreements are being finalised.
When fully operational the wind farm will generate approximately 10% of Ghana’s total electricity generation capacity which currently stands at 2,000MW.
Mr. Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo the Director of Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Ghana commented:
It is my hope that this agreement between NEK and Mainstream will accelerate the process towards the realisation of wind farms in Ghana and they can be assured of the full support of the Ministry of Energy & Petroleum. The project is consistent with government policy to increase the contribution of renewable energy in the electricity generation mix.
Mainstream’s Chief Executive Eddie O’Connor stated:
This wind farm is the ideal solution for Ghana because the country needs large quantities of electricity and it needs it fast. Wind and solar power are the only proven technologies in the world today which can achieve the dual objectives of speed of deployment and scale. The AyitepaWind Farm is well advanced and can be generating electricity in less than 18 months from now.In South Africa, Mainstream has three wind and solar farms already operational and an additional three large-scale wind farms ready to go into construction this year.
