Power Situation To Improve By Next Week

The current power challenges that had compelled the service providers to increase the 12-hour load shedding off-period to 24 hours could be reduced by next week.

     This is because the equipment that compelled the closure of the Sonun Asogli Gas Plant is expected to arrive on Wednesday and would be fixed by the close of the week.

     The Kpone Thermal Power Plant, which is also expected to produce 220 megawatts of power, would be completed within the year.

     This came to light when President John Dramani Mahama visited some power and energy installations to ascertain the progress of work and how their completion could support the power deficiency.

      Accompanied by Mr Kwabena Donkor, Minister of Power, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Communications, and other Government officials, President Mahama visited the Sonun Asogli Power Plant, Tema Cinati Thermal Power Plant and the Kpone Thermal Power Plant.

    The breakdown of the equipment at the Asogli plant resulted in the loss of 200 megawatts of power as it was shut down for maintenance, compelling service providers to step up power-off hours from 12 to 24 hours.

     President Mahama commended Ghanaians for their patience and urged them to maintain that tempo as frantic efforts were made to restore power for both domestic and industrial consumption.

     The President said Hydro-electricity that served as the major provider of power would now be used as a back up as more thermal plants would be provided to surpass the capacity of hydro power.

     "Ghana's energy demands are going up everyday ... and there is the need to continue to produce more power to meet the growing demands for future generations," he said.

      President Mahama commended workers of all the power plants for their diligence and urged them to work harder to restore power to Ghanaians  in the coming days.

     At the Asogli plant, Togbe Afede XIV, Board Chairman of the plant, said the second phase of the project would produce an additional 180 megawatts of power this year, while another 180 megawatts was be expected next year to support the country's power pool.

     Mr Kirk Koffi, Chief Executive Officer of Volta River Authority, said the Kpone Thermal Power Plant would also subsequently produce an additional 110 megawatts of power in the coming years.