Ghana: No Load Shedding Again!

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Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)

25 August 2008
Posted to the web 26 August 2008

George Kyei Frimpong

The energy crisis, which resulted in the load shedding exercise as experienced by the country recently, would become a thing of the past, due to current policies put in place by the Volta River Authority (VRA).

The short, medium and long term plans that were instituted by the former Minister of Energy, Hon. Joseph Kofi Ada seem to be bearing fruits.

Mrs. Getrude Koomson, the Communication Director of the Corporate Department of the VRA, told The Chronicle that President J. A. Kufuor would outdoor a 126megawatts thermal plant at Tema, in September."Never again would we experience such a problem, never again would the country face load shedding," she stressed

Mrs Koomson said the project has reached completion stage and that the VRA was putting finishing touches to the project, which was originally expected to be completed by the end of December.

Tabling a number of projects that the government had put in place to ensure that there would be regular and constant power supply, she emphasized that a number of Mines companies, in consultation with the VRA have completed a Mines Reserve Plant, which is providing 80 megawatts, which the Mining companies have been using since last year.

According to Mrs. Getrude Koomson, there is also a 60megawatts plant for the Wood and Timber Groups. Both energy plants of the Mining companies and the Wood and Timber Groups are strategic reserves and are operational only when VRA faces power generation problems. The Communication Director of the VRA also assured Ghanaians that the water level in Akosombo is now favourable, so all the turbines are running and there is a stable energy generation as at now.

Mrs. Koomson also said that an additional Runhill Power Plant, which would provide 86 megawatts, was also being put in place in Tema.

Explaining the reason for the concentration of the Energy plants in Tema, she said "The farther you take them from Tema, the more difficult it is for fuel acquisition, whether diesel, crude oil or gas, most of which are located around VRA's 126 megawatts plant in Tema, because that is where the West African Gas Pipeline would terminate."

The Corporate Director stated that the Akosombo generation plant is cheaper because it is hydro-based, whiles the rest use crude oil, diesel or natural gas which is not readily available in the country.

She noted that under the Power Sector Reform, the Transmission Department of the VRA has been taken over and now being managed by a company called GRIDCO. She said GRIDCO would be responsible for the transmission of electricity which is generated by the VRA, Osagyefo Barge, the Bui Dam and the Independent power producers like the Asogli Power Plant and the Wood Group. Mrs Koomson elaborated that the reason was to ensure that there was competition in the energy sector

The country is currently enjoying energy from the Kpong dam which provides 160 MW, the Akosombo Dam which provides 1,020 MW and the Aboadze Thermal Plant providing 550 MW.

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