THE 340 megawatts (MW) Kpone Independent Power Project at Kpone near Tema at the cost of $600 million has taken off.

The power plant, which has a nominal capacity of 340 MW and is based on combined cycle gas turbine technology using GE frame 9E gas turbines, will operate on both natural gas and liquid fuel to ensure high fuel efficiency and reliable power supply.

Cenpower Generation Company Limited, a Ghanaian Company, is undertaking the project, the Ministry of Energy said in a statement recently.

The Ministry described the project as a significant milestone in a journey which began in 1999, when the initial preparatory work started towards the construction of the thermal power plant at Kpone by a Ghanaian Independent Power Producer (IPP).

Kenya is seeking to reduce over reliance on the road transport system which carries more than 90 per cent of cargo, reducing the lifespan of the highways.

Leading players in global infrastructure projects are jostling for a Sh24 billion Nairobi commuter rail improvement contract.

Tender submissions for the projects show that 17 companies including Hyundai, Samsung and POSCO from Korea and leading rail companies from China and Europe have applied to lay the railway.