The Volta River Authority (VRA) has resumed the Akosombo Generating Station Retrofit Project following the successful rehabilitation of the first unit, which is in operation.

A VRA statement issued in Accra on Thursday said the exercise, which started last month and will take nine months to complete, involves the shutting down of one of the six generating units and the replacement of old turbines with more efficient ones.

"The objective of the retrofit project is to improve the efficiency and maintain the reliability and availability of all six generating units to guarantee reliable supply of electricity for the next 30 years." The Akosombo plant has been operating for more than 30 years now.

The retrofit project covering all six generating units, expected to end in 2005, would increase the capacity of the Akosombo generating station from 912 megawatts (MW) to 1020MW.

VRA, the statement said, expects to produce about 6,400 GWh of energy this year from the Akosombo and Kpong plants as against the forecast requirement of 8,500GWh.

"The shortfall in energy supply of over 2000GWh shall be met by thermal generation from VRA's 550MW capacity Takoradi Thermal Power Station." It said the total estimated project cost is 115 million dollars.

The foreign component of 112 million dollars would be borne by the European Investment Bank and the International Development Association of the World Bank, while VRA takes up the 21 billion-cedi local cost.

The main contractors, according to the statement, are General Electric of Canada, VA TECH Voest of Austria, ABB Sae of Italy and Acres International of Canada, who are the consultants.