More �Wahala� For Power Consumers

The power situation in the country is not expected to improve any time soon, following the continued reduction in the water level of the Akosombo Dam and inconsistent supply of natural gas from Nigeria. According to the System Control Manager of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), Mr Frank Okyere, although the power distributors expected power from the Aboadze Thermal plants to add to the national grid, the current low water level at the Akosombo Dam and inconsistent supply of natural gas from Nigeria could call for more load to be shed. �This week we have had very low gas supply from Nigeria and, therefore, the generating plants, especially those in Tema that run on gas, have not had enough gas to run on,� he told the Daily Graphic in an interview. Background The Electricity Company of Ghana has been shedding load due to the power crisis facing the country. The situation has forced some companies to cut down their labour force in order not to incur losses from the inconsistent power. The government has initiated many interventions to address the situation, including establishing the Ministry of Power, headed by Dr Kwabena Donkor. Possible increase in load shedding Mr Okyere said although more effort was being made to address the power crisis, Ghanaians could go through more load shedding if the situation with the gas supply and the water level did not improve. �Work is ongoing at the various thermal plants and we expect things to improve very soon. But we may also be shedding a little more load in the first quarter if the situation persists,� he said. According to Mr Okyere, GRIDCo was currently shedding 420 megawatts of power due to the shortfall in gas supply from Nigeria. However, he said, the power situation could improve before the second quarter of the year, adding, �We are working very hard to address the situation before the middle of the year.�