President John Dramani Mahama will open the Bui Generating Station (Bui GS) on Thursday following the completion of the third and final unit of the Bui hydroelectric project.

The substantial completion of the project now gives the national grid an additional 400 megawatts -- a 20 percent increment of installed capacity -- with an annual generation of 1,000 gigawatt hours (GWh).

However, non-power and other associated works on the project will continue till the second quarter of 2014, when all works on the project will be completed. Earlier in the year, three initial generating units which have the capacity to generate 133 megawatts each were opened after dry and wet tests had been carried out to verify the proper, complete and satisfactory erection of all subsystems.

The Bui hydropower scheme is on the Black Volta River at the Bui Gorge, and is seen as the most technically and economically attractive hydropower site in Ghana after the Akosombo (1,020MW) and Kpong (160MW) hydro power plants.

The project was designed primarily for hydropower generation. It however includes the development of an irrigation scheme for agricultural development, and according to the Bui Power Authority it presents an opportunity for enhanced eco-tourism and fisheries.

The project also includes a Resettlement and Community Support Programme.