The Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) together with the the Electricity Utility Service Providers has come out with a contingency plan to ensure Ghanaians receive reliable supply of electricity during the World Cup season.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, both parties agreed to make available extra generating units, post maintenance personnel to man critical substations and installations and also secure an extra 50 megawatts extra electricity from La Cote D’Ivoire during Ghana’s game time to ensure there is a constant supply of Electricity during the tournament.
The FIFA World Cup 2014 will kick-off on Thurday, June 12 and it is scheduled to end on Sunday, the July 13, 2014.
Below a copy of the press statement released by the PURC
PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
ELECTRICTY CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR 2014 WORLD CUP
In a meeting held between the PURC and the Electricity Utility Service Providers it was agreed that certain contingency measures be put in place to ensure reliable supply of Electricity during the World Cup Season.
It was agreed that all available generating units should be on stream during the tournament, maintenance personnel shall be posted to man critical substations and installations during the match periods to ensure expeditious restoration of electricity in the unlikely event of an unplanned outage or an emergency. In addition all key personnel would be put on standby alert during the period.
The PURC has also asked the ECG/NEDco to furnish the public of all its Fault reporting lines to enable consumers call them whenever there are faults in the system.
Also as part of the discussions it was agreed that Ghana will get 50megawatts extra Electricity from La Cote D’Ivoire during the times Ghana would be playing since our matches do not run concurrently. Arrangements are also being made with VALCO to reduce energy consumption during periods when Ghana would be playing.
The Commission is also appealing to the Public to conserve energy during the period by putting off high consuming appliances like deep Freezers and Air Conditioners etc.
The PURC has asked the Utility Service Providers to reschedule all other maintenance activities in the National Inter Connection Transmission System and also at the Distribution end of the System with the exception of Emergency Works.
It should be noted that these plans are put in place for consumers to watch uninterruptible football matches during the World Cup Tournament, but within these arrangements the Load shedding Schedule though varied still exists.
The PURC would be critically monitoring the situation during the World Cup Season to ensure that all these plans as discussed are put in place to bring about a level of Electricity supply reliability during the World Cup Tournament
Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah
Director, Public Relations & External Affairs
By: Benjamin Epton Owusu/citifmonline.com/Ghana