By Park Jin-hai
Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) signed a $2.5 million agreement with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to train Ghana’s electrical technicians, said the company Friday.
As part of KOICA’s aid program, the state-run power company will offer advice on establishing a master plan for nurturing human resources, set up a training center and develop educational programs in the following 25 month, in cooperation with the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo).
It is KEPCO’s second such agreement with KOICA’s project in Ghana. In 2013, the power company bagged a $1.5 million aid program where it offered to strengthen the African nation’s power industry potential during a 30 month time frame.
KEPCO invited trainees to Korea and conducted six educational sessions here, while four educational sessions were carried out in Ghana. A total of 147 people benefited from the program.
KEPCO said its technological advisory service on power transmission and transformation helped GRIDCo to the extent that it led to its second contract in Ghana.
“Based on our success in the country and mutual trust, we hope to earn additional projects in Ghana,” KEPCO CEO Cho Hwan-eik said.
“As this opportunity could promote the recognition of our power products, we believe this could lead to increased exports to Ghana.”
Of late, the company has won a $60 million contract to build a nationwide power grid in the Dominican Republic, the largest power line construction project the company has ever secured abroad.
KEPCO completed a number of power grid construction projects in 23 countries, valued at $170 million.
Taking this opportunity, KEPCO plans to make more inroads into Ghana and other African nations. It is now undertaking plans worth $40 million in Nigeria and 13 other countries including Kazakhstan, Dominica and Nigeria.