![\"Fuel](\"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Nigeria-fuel-shortage.jpg\")
<\/a>Ghana’s electricity generation is expected to be reduced by about 200 megawatts due to the current events in Nigeria. This is a blow to the sector which has seen some improvement in power generation over the past week.<\/p>\n
Ghana’s peak load demand is 2100 megawatts. Due to inadequate generation, the power producers have been shedding about 600 megawatts resulting in acute\u00a0power rationing, popularly called Dumsor.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”0TXDJVI6s6yEpgK5zsJV5E3LRDdMUn9E”]The gas pressure from the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WapCo) has dropped to 18.83 bars. The drop is expected to continue as long as the strike action continues.<\/p>\n
This trend is likely to result in the shutting of some of the units at\u00a0Asogli,\u00a0MRPP and CENIT if alternative sources of fuel are not found immediately. The three plants have an installed capacity of 200 megawatts, 80 megawatts and\u00a0130 megawatts respectively.<\/p>\n
The proposed shut down of the plants would result in a loss of power generation, which would make the power rationing a bit more intensified as long as the strike action continues and gas supplies reduced.<\/p>\n
On Thursday night, GRIDCO requested the ECG to shed\u00a0320 megawatt during the off-peak\u00a0period between 08:00hrs – 18:00hrs on Friday.<\/p>\n
Currently,\u00a0the\u00a033KV Weija 1&2 and Santamaria 2 feeders have been put off on emergency load shedding because\u00a0GRIDCO\u00a0requested for additional load of 180 megawatts to be shed due to low gas pressure.<\/p>\n
Also, Oda and Asikuma have been taken off because the\u00a0Akwatia Bulk Supply Point (BSP) has been taken down by Gridco. Areas under the\u00a0Esiama \u00a0BSP have also been \u00a0taken \u00a0off \u00a0by GRIDCO.<\/p>\n
Information available indicates that the Atuabo Gas plant, which is run by the Ghana Gas Company,\u00a0is supplying around 70 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscf\/d) monthly average to VRA. This has resulted in the TAPco and TICO plants in Takoradi increasing generation to 280 and 200 megawatts respectively.<\/p>\n
Ongoing maintenance works<\/b><\/p>\n
Towns like\u00a0Agona Swedru, Asafo, Nyakrom, Benso, Kwayanko, Abodom, Nsaba,\u00a0Winneba, Apam, Dawurampong and surrounding areas were taken off the system due to planned maintenance work on the Winneba Bulk Supply Point (BSP).<\/p>\n
On Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24,\u00a0Cape Coast, Saltpond, Elmina, Abura Dunkwa, Assin Fosu, Twifo Praso and Ajumako will be taken off the national grid. This is to allow maintenance work at the Cape Coast BSP.<\/p>\n
May power generation overview<\/b><\/p>\n
Power generation has seen a steady improvement since May 1. In the first week of May, the amount of load shed averaged 512 megawatts. This resulted in Ghana purchasing about 150 megawatts from Cote D’Ivoire to shore up the system.<\/p>\n The average amount of load shed in the second week of May was 400 megawatts, a result of improved generation.<\/p>\n<\/a>