President John Dramani Mahama announced plans to build Ghana’s largest single power facility, a 1,200-megawatt gas-fired thermal power plant. He said the government intends to sign the agreement for the project before the end of 2026.
Mahama made the announcement during a town hall meeting with Ghanaians in New York on Friday, September 25. “We are going to build the biggest thermal capacity in Ghana. Before the end of this year, we’re going to sign 1,200 megawatts of gas thermal power,” he said.
At 1,200MW, the new plant would surpass the Akosombo Hydroelectric Power Station, currently Ghana’s largest single generating facility with 1,020MW of installed capacity.
The President said the decision to add this thermal capacity responded to shifts in the global energy landscape, including the rise of renewable energy and the growing use of electric vehicles. He added that the government wants to avoid investing in power assets that risk becoming stranded as energy sources evolve.
Mahama also mentioned that some Independent Power Producers (IPPs) who had threatened to suspend power generation are now willing to invest in an additional 500MW of capacity. Still, he said the government prefers to develop more state-owned generation capacity.
He said the government cleared the energy sector’s debts and reorganised the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to prioritise payments to power producers. “We brought IPPs, and everybody was threatening to switch off power. Today, I can tell you, we have paid off our energy debts. And we are current with the payments,” he said.
The President explained that ECG’s collection system was changed to ensure payments to power generators come first. This, he said, has helped stabilise electricity supply in the country.
Mahama linked the planned thermal expansion to new investment in Ghana’s oil and gas sector. He said oil production had increased by nearly 38 percent since 2025, following investments by oil producers.
According to Mahama, Jubilee Partners are investing $2 billion to drill 20 new wells, while Eni is investing $1.5 billion to bring the remaining part of its Sankofa field into production. These investments would increase gas availability for thermal power generation and boost government revenue.
The President also said major international oil companies like ExxonMobil and Shell are exploring opportunities in Ghana.
This announcement comes as Ghana seeks to balance its energy mix amid global shifts and growing domestic demand. The planned 1,200MW gas-fired plant would mark a significant step in expanding the country’s power infrastructure under state control.
According to Joy Online.
