Accra, July 10, GNA - The Kpong Power Station, Takoradi Thermal Plant and Northern Electricity Department (NED) of the Volta River Authority (VRA) are this year celebrating various anniversaries.

The Kpong Power Station is 25 years old this year, Takoradi Thermal Plant is 15 years old while the Northern Electricity Department is 10 years old.

Ms Abla Fiadjoe, Acting Director of Corporate Affairs of VRA, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Tuesday that a number of activities were being planned to mark the celebration of the anniversaries later this year. The Kpong Power station, which is situated at Akuse in the Eastern Region, was established in 1982 and generates 160 megawatts of power. It is the second hydro generating station downstream of Akosombo. The Takoradi Thermal Plant supplies 550 megawatts to augment what Akosombo and Kpong generate while the NED established in 1997 distributes electricity to 238,000 customers in the Brong Ahafo, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

Meanwhile, workers at the Kpong Station have held a thanksgiving service at the Akuse Presbyterian Church to thank God for the 25 years of operations and prayed for more rains. At the Service, Mr Kirk Koffi, VRA Director of Hydro Generation, reminded the public that the building of the Kpong Station was through the cooperation of the people of Kpong, Akuse and communities in the area.

He said the workers of the VRA had lived and cooperated cordially with residents in the area.

The District Pastor of the Church, the Reverend E. B. Djieagu referred to the story of Elijah and said if one prophet could pray to God and hold up the rains for three years, then 20 million Ghanaians could cry out to God to send forth rains for the energy crisis to end. However, he said, Ghanaians were not praying for that to occur.