The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has announced a new load shedding plan on Saturday. The announcement is expected to enable utility consumers plan their activities to efficiently use power while the bigger problem of adding more generation capacity to the national grid is being dealt with.<\/p>\n
Ghana’s energy sector has been bedeviled with the inability of power producers to meet demand. The current state of the sector dates back to 1982, when drought resulted in a decrease in capacity from the Akosombo Dam, the main power plant. The situation got better in 1986, recurred in 1994, 1998, 2006 and has been worsening since 2010.<\/p>\n
According to the Ministry of Energy, Ghana’s current electricity demand stands at over 2000 megawatts (MW)\u00a0and estimates an annual capacity additions of about 200MW.<\/p>\n
In the past 15 years, Ghana has added about 1,000 megawatts (MW) of thermal generation capacity. As a result, Ghana\u2019s current generation capacity of 2,125 MW is made up of about 50% hydro and 50% thermal plants. Nevertheless, inadequate and unreliable power supply remains a major constraint to future economic growth.<\/p>\n
Electricity demand which is growing at about 10% per annum. It is estimated that Ghana requires capacity additions of about 200MW to catch up with increasing demand in the medium to long term.<\/p>\n
Ghana’s total installed capacity is 2884.5MW but electricity supplied doesn’t meet demand resulting in the ongoing power crisis, called dumsor<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n Ghana\u2019s Power Problem<\/strong><\/p>\n Dumsor<\/strong><\/em>, according to research, is costing huge loses for the country. According to Databank Financial Services Ltd, the power outages compelled companies to incur unplanned operating costs of about $62 million per month or $744 million per annum due to the use of privately acquired generators.<\/p>\n When President John Mahama commissioned Ghana\u2019s second largest hydroelectric generating plant at Bui in the Brong Ahafo Region, he declared that the country is on\u00a0its way to become a major producer of power in West Africa.<\/p>\n The $622 million Bui Hydroelectric Dam project has an installed capacity of 400 megawatts of electricity but it’s currently producing on 90 megawatts of electricity.<\/p>\n The main problem with Ghana’s power sector is not installed capacity but the inability of the plant to operate at full capacity. The \u00a0existing power plants are unable to attain full generation capacity as a result of limitations in fuel supply owing to rising fuel prices and uncertainty in rainfall and water inflows into the hydroelectric power facilities.<\/p>\n There have been several promises and timelines given by various governments since the power crisis. However, the problem persists and has since attained a trademark status.<\/p>\n Video: Ghana’s power challenges portrayed in World Cup promo<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n