Mahama announces plans for 1,200MW thermal plant, Ghana's largest power facility

President John Dramani Mahama has revealed Ghana's intention to construct a massive 1,200-megawatt gas-fired thermal power plant, which would become the nation's largest single power facility. The President made this announcement during a town hall meeting with the Ghanaian community in New York on Friday, 25th September 2026. The new plant would provide more power than the existing Akosombo Hydroelectric Power Station, which currently holds the title of Ghana's largest generating facility with a capacity of 1,020MW.

The decision to build the thermal power plant was prompted by shifts in the global energy landscape, including the increasing adoption of renewable energy and the growing popularity of electric vehicles. Mahama also expressed the government's desire to avoid investing in power assets that could become redundant as the energy mix transforms.

He noted that some Independent Power Producers (IPPs) who had previously indicated they would suspend power generation were now willing to invest in an additional 500MW of capacity. However, Mahama emphasized that the government preferred to develop additional state-owned generation capacity.

In a positive development for the energy sector, Mahama reported that the government had cleared energy sector debts and reorganized the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to prioritize payments to power producers. This has helped stabilize electricity supply throughout the country. The President also linked the planned thermal expansion to increased investment in Ghana's oil and gas sector, with oil production rising by nearly 38% since 2025.

Major international oil companies such as ExxonMobil and Shell are also exploring opportunities in Ghana.