The government requires nearly $90 million urgently to prevent an impending power crisis due to inadequate fuel supplies for thermal facilities, as mentioned in a report from the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo).
According to the GRIDCo report, this financial support is necessary to buy liquid fuel, like light crude oil, for the thermal plants in Tema to satisfy the increasing demand for electricity.
The crisis arises from a lack of generation capacity following a maintenance operation carried out by the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCO), which caused a temporary halt in natural gas deliveries.
The GRIDCo report suggests essential actions to alleviate the effects of the fuel shortage and ensure grid reliability:
Adjusting Scheduled Maintenance: Altering the timelines for generator shutdowns to prevent conflicts with the WAPCO maintenance schedule.
Acquiring Alternative Fuels: Obtaining enough light crude oil or other types of liquid fuel to replace natural gas for thermal energy production.
Managing Load: Considering load-shedding as a final option to stabilize the national electricity grid during critical power shortages.
Additionally, the GRIDCo revealed that the maintenance of gas pipelines connecting Nigeria and Ghana, originally planned by the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAGP) for October 2024, has been delayed to January 2025 by the earlier administration.
“The period during the WAPCO maintenance produced a shortfall in generation capacity. Consequently, it is vital to secure liquid fuel for the thermal plants in Tema to satisfy electricity demand. To avoid the impending risk of ‘dumsor’, GRIDCo indicated that an amount of US$ 89.90 million is required to purchase liquid fuel to operate thermal facilities and meet demand throughout the maintenance phase.”
The report cautions that taking no immediate action may result in extended power interruptions, negatively affecting economic operations and public services.
Stakeholders are urging the government to act quickly in securing funds and carrying out the suggested actions to prevent the crisis.
Below is the report from GRIDCo
