Power Crisis: Government Should Roll Out a Time Table - ACEP

Executive Director for African Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), Mr. Ben Boakye has asked government to provide a load shedding time table for the current power crisis.

He says there is power crisis and that government should accept and provide a timetable that will inform consumers to enable them plan their daily activities.

The Energy expert described the current power challenge as a generation capacity problem, because government is cash strapped to be able to provide enough power for consumers.

Speaking in an interview with Peace FM News, he also asked government to be truthfull to consumers so they know that the country is experiencing challenges.

Ghana has close to 4,420MW installed capacity (made up of plants and dams) - nearly a 100% more than its needs – the country needs only 2,500 megawatts at peak hours to power homes and businesses.

But “We don’t have fuel” Ben Boakye declared.

He explained, Ghana’s Karpower, with capacity to generate 450MW, is now only producing 180MW because government has not held its side of the bargain by buying Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO).

The 350MW Sunon Asogli power plant in Tema which has a daily gas requirement of 120m standard cubic feet of gas/per day (scfd) – gas expected to come from Nigeria - is getting just about a half of their requirement and therefore is unable to operate to full capacity.

The Western power enclave where TICO and TAPCO power plants can produce a combined 670MW is down due to technical challenges.

Ghana Gas company and Eni Ghana and West African Pipeline Company (WAPCo) are undergoing what is termed reverse flow project.

The country has for sometime now been experiencing power crisis. ACEP believes it is a major challenge and that government should provide and role out a time table for the convenience of consumers