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Load Shedding To Intensify As Power Crisis Extends

Power consumers have to gird their loins for an intensified load-shedding regime because of a generation shortfall of more than 500 megawatts (MW).

The shortfall represents almost a third of the entire 2,000MW needed for distribution.

The situation has forced some electricity consumers to endure days of blackout, while others experience power outages every four to six hours.

Stakeholders in the energy sector have been holding meetings to enable the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to come up with a new timetable on the load-shedding exercise which will take into account the current energy shortfall.

Consumers were initially experiencing 12-hour blackout and 24-hour light on.

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The Manager of the System Control Centre of GRIDCo, Mr Frank Otchere, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that “the new timetable will probably tighten the schedule a little more than the current one”.

Although he was not specific as to the number of hours for the outages or the quantum of load that would be shed, he said “the duration of power outages may increase to make up for the load shedding”.

According to the Volta River Authority (VRA), the power crisis had intensified over the past weeks as a result of low water levels in the Akosombo, Bui and Kpone dams, coupled with inadequate gas supply from Nigeria and the breakdown of some power generators.

The Chief Executive Officer of the VRA, Mr Kirk Koffi explained that the low water levels were due to inadequate rainfall to feed the dams with the level of water needed.

He said the Akosombo Dam, for instance, was running on four turbines, which meant that 400MW at Akosombo had been lost.

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Mr Koffi further explained that the Asogli Plant was down to half capacity, the equivalent of about 90MW.

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