Black star power
15 February 2018Pasico, the Ghana-based subsidiary of UK company Paterson Simons, has installed a 62t double girder crane at a power plant in the African country.
The Volta River Authority (VRA), the main electricity generator and supplier in Ghana, made the investment to upgrade and replace the existing 32t overhead crane in operation at the VRA thermal plant in Aboaze. This crane was manufactured by Philadelphia Tramrail and installed in 1997.
Pasico’s overhead crane engineers completed the installation of the new 62t crane in a time-critical operation, after which the crane was required to complete an urgent maintenance lift for turbine repairs.
The project also included the removal of the existing crane and rails, with new rails installed and welded in place prior to the installation of the new crane.
The crane was spliced to enable easy transportation from the Konecranes factory in South Africa—a common approach for cranes longer than 12m, the length of a 40ft shipping container— before being assembled by Pasico prior to lifting into place for final electrical works and testing.
Pasico was supported by subcontractors Orsam, for steel works, and Mobicrane for rental of equipment— much of which was originally supplied by Paterson Simons.
