Like the global aluminium industry, Ghana’s new integrated aluminium industry is going to be highly-energy intensive, requiring 500 megawatts of direct and stable power supply to be able to operate effectively. Ghana is in the process of expanding its existing bauxite mine in Awaso and developing additional mines in Nyinahin-Mpasaso and Kyebi.
The country also plans to expand its existing VALCO smelter and develop a second smelter to increase its aluminium production capacity. Besides, it aspires to establish at least two refineries with the goal of maximising in-country value by refining bauxite into alumina.
Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), Mr Michael Ansah, informed that they already started corresponding with power companies for reliable power supply to the integrated aluminium industry.
“We are working with the power companies in Ghana because this industry requires significant amount of power. We are looking at 500 megawatts of power to support the smelting and refining aspect of the work that we do,” said Mr Ansah during a workshop for some selected journalists in Accra.
He also stated that GIADEC had also been communicating with car manufacturing companies that use alumina for the production of various automotive products.
“GIADEC is driving a whole industry. We are talking to Car manufacturing companies who are coming to Ghana today, we are talking to companies that are making various aluminum products. so we want to encourage the development of these companies in Ghana because that is where a lot of value are, a lot is jobs, and the impact on the economy is going to be significantly felt. We are working with the railway ministry, we are working with Ghana ports and harbour.”
According to Mr Ansah, GIADEC is cautiously and diligently laying all the needed basic requirements that conforms to best practices before mining of bauxite for the integrated aluminium value chain commences.
Government of Ghana identified integrated aluminium industry as one of the major pillars for its industrial and economic transformation agenda; hence, the establishment of Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) through an Act of Parliament in August 2018 to promote and develop a globally competitive integrated aluminium industry in Ghana.
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