The Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) has revealed that the Electricity Company of Ghana is shedding over 200 megawatts of power following the shutdown of the Asogli, Sunom and Siemen thermal units.
According to ACEP, Nigeria Gas (N-Gas) has suspended gas supply to Ghana over the Volta River Authority’s indebtedness to it to the tune of 180 million dollars crippling the operations of the three thermal units.
Head of Policy Unit at ACEP, Dr. Ishmael Ackah told local television network, TV3 that some 200 megawatts have been knocked off the national grid.
He said the total supply “will be around 1473MW while demand is around 1708 MW.”
“So we have 220MW deficit so ECG is shedding load of about 200MW today. So any shortage in fuel or plant maintenance or any other shock to the supply system means that we may have to shed load. It may not be as worse as 2015 but there is still some impact we are feeling,” Dr. Ackah added.
Nigeria reduces gas supply to Ghana
Reports from Nigeria indicates that militant activities along gas pipelines in the Niger Delta have led to the destruction of some pipelines in that country.
The incident, which took place at the Escravos in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State affected one of the lines that leads to the source of Ghana’s supply of gas from Nigeria.
Indications are that these attacks on the pipeline that supplies some of the gas to Ghana may pose challenges to power supply in the country.
However, the Ghana Grid Company (Gridco) and the Volta River Authority (VRA) have given an assurance that they can contain the situation with gas supply from other sources.
The reduction in supply of gas from Nigeria, which is the sole source of fuel for the Asogli Power Plant in Tema, has dwindled from 140mmscf to about 10mmscf currently, resulting in the generation of only 40megawatts. –
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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