Young environmentalists oppose coal-fired power plant for Ghana

The establishment of a coal-fired power plant in Ghana will not bode well for human health as well as environmental sustainability, the Ghana Youth Environmental Movement (GYEM) has claimed.

In a statement issued to the press in Accra on Sunday evening, GYEM in collaboration with its key allies expressed deep concern about the proposed establishment of a coal-fired plant for Ghana and urged mass rejection of the plan.

The statement was in reaction to recent reports that Shenzhen Energy Group (SEG), the mother company of Sonon Asogli, is to build a 700MW coal-fired power plant in Ghana. On 5^th July, 2013, Mr Hong Can, a Director at SEG, revealed details of the plan at a meeting with the Minister for Energy and Petroleum, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah. The proposed plant will involve the construction of a coal port with approximately 50,000 tons berth and the import of 20 million tons of coal per year from South Africa.

The plan appeared to receive an instant endorsement by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MoEP). According to a report by the Information Service Department (ISD) of the Ministry of Information, a statement by the public relations unit of the MoEP explained that SEG had decided to embark on this project because “coal as a fuel is cheap, abundant, widely used, efficient, safe and that there are modern technologies to minimize environmental pollution.”

Rejection

In its press statement, GYEM said: “Coal-fired plants do not represent the GREEN FUTURE that young people in this country so much deserve; to produce more green jobs and live in a less polluted or a pollution-free environment. We believe this is about justice to our children and unborn generations.”

The statement, copied to MOEP, the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation
(MESTI, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), also carried GYEM’s appeal. It said “…we humbly seek the support of all Friends of the Environment, Climate Champions, Stakeholders, NGOs/CSOs in the Health, Gender & Environment Sectors, the Media and the General Public to: Add your voices to reject the proposal to construct this 700MW coal-fired power plant; and
Advocate for investment in green technology and renewable energy as the best alternative to coal-fired power plants.”

Danger
GYEM provided details of health and environmental hazards associated with coal to persuade various groups to reject the deal. Among other things, it stated that the health impact of coal-fired plants to the public as a result of the massive air pollution it causes is extremely catastrophic. It explained that coal burning releases dangerous and toxic emissions like Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, Mercury, Cadmium, Toxic heavy metals, Carbon monoxide, Arsenic, Hydrocarbons and Ozone forming Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). “These pollutants are known to cause chronic respiratory infections, exacerbate asthma, chronic bronchitis, burn lung tissue, brain damage, heart problems and premature death.”

It terms of environmental impact, GYEM posited that the burning of 20 million tons of coal would release 2 million tons of ashes (10% ash per ton) which are heavily contaminated solid waste that has to be disposed off eventually. “In addition to this are the thousands of gallons of water that would be needed for the purification and cooling systems which consequently is discharged as heavily contaminated water. These present enormous challenges considering that the country is facing a herculean task with waste management and chronic water crisis.”

GYEM also pointed out policy inconsistency on the part of government, saying: “The proposal flies in the face of Ghana’s National Energy Policy which has a target of achieving 10% contribution of energy into the national grid through renewable energy by 2016. Again it is a complete contradiction to the Climate Change Policy of Ghana.”

Concluding its argument, GYEM insisted that “Coal-fired plants are not a good investment and supporting it would mean we are choosing profit over people as well as economics over the ecosystem.”

It was therefore hopeful that the MoEP and the Government of Ghana would consider its submission and respond positively “on this issue that threatens the future of young people.”

Government perspective

It an apparent pre-emptive move to possible opposition to the proposal, the MoEP had endorsed the plan the same day Mr Can met with the Minister Buah. An ISD report posted on the official government portal (www.ghana.gov.gh) on 5^th July, 2013, attributed that Minister Buah “said that the proposed project looked exciting especially as it would be fired by coal which was a cheaper fuel compared to gas and light crude oil. This in his opinion would translate to cheaper energy cost for both industries and households.”

Quoting also a statement by the Ministry, the ISD wrote that “According to the release, ‘desulfurization and electrostatic precipitator devices and technologies will be employed to increase the efficiency of the plant and minimise environmental pollution to the barest minimum’.”

The Department also reported that the Ministry indicated that SEG already operated different thermal plants of a total installed generation capacity of 8106MW, coal-fired plants constituting about 3700MW. The report however did not reveal the location of SEG’s existing coal-fired plants.