GRIDCO Returns To Load Shedding Programme

The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDco) has announced a load management program because of challenges with power supply. This would result in limited power supply to consumers during peak times, that is, between 6pm and 10pm. The announcement by GRIDco confirms earlier reports that the power operators in the country are embarking on a load management program. The announcement contrasts assurances by government that the load shedding programme undertaken for the most part of 2013 was not to recur in 2014. Many Ghanaians had to endure the power outages last year due to the destruction of the West Africa Gas Pipeline. With no gas to power the thermal plants and government complaining it had no money to purchase a relatively expensive crude oil, businesses as well as residential users of electricity had to endure months of power outages. The situation was normalised after the Gas pipeline was repaired. During the Commissioning of the 400 Bui hydro project in December last year, the government announced an end to the load shedding programme, with President John Mahama declaring that Ghana was on its way to becoming a power exporter. A little over a month after that declaration, GRIDco says the country has to go back to a load shedding programme. Head of Public Relations at GRIDco, Albert Quainoo told Joy News the current challenges have been compounded by on-going repair works on generators in the power system. He said the non availability of some of the generators led to a loss of some 50 megawatts of power. Mr. Quainoo would not say when the load shedding will be over except to assure that the officials are working feverishly to resolve the problem.