President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans for the construction of a 1,200-megawatt gas-fired power plant aimed at expanding electricity generation capacity and strengthening the country’s ability to meet rising energy demand.

Speaking during the “Resetting Ghana” tour in the Eastern Region on Saturday, May 2, the President revealed that government will cut sod for the project later this year, marking the official commencement of construction works.

He explained that the initiative forms part of a broader energy strategy designed to enhance generation capacity and build redundancy within the national power system, ensuring long-term stability and reliability.

“Looking at how the country is growing, the consumption of electricity is increasing. When we came to power, consumption was about 3,500 megawatts, but currently peak demand has risen to about 4,300 megawatts,” President Mahama stated.

He attributed the rising demand to increased industrial activity and investment across key sectors, stressing the need for urgent expansion of power infrastructure to sustain economic growth.

“So it means we have to add more generation so that we can get redundancy,” he added.

According to him, the Ministries of Energy and Finance have already completed the design and implementation roadmap for the project, clearing the way for construction to begin without delay.

The President further noted that beyond meeting domestic electricity needs, the additional capacity will position the country as a power exporter within the sub-region, particularly to neighbouring states such as Burkina Faso.

“By God’s grace, this year we will cut sod for its commencement,” he said.

The planned 1,200MW plant is expected to significantly enhance grid stability, support industrial expansion, and strengthen regional power trade as part of Ghana’s long-term energy security agenda.