Load shedding will end mid-2013 - Prez Mahama

President John Mahama has assured Ghanaians that the ongoing load shedding will end by the middle of this year.

The President told newly inducted members of the Council of State at their swearing-in ceremony at the Flagstaff House yesterday that 200 megawatts of load is currently being shed to make up for the power deficit.

He noted that a new plant in Takoradi-T3 which will produce 120 Megawatts “will come on stream before the end of February” to complement power supply.

He said: “In addition we are expecting the Bui hydro project's first turbine to come on in April and that will bring another 133 megawatts and so the combined T3 and Bui Turbine One should give us something in the region of 250 megawatts and that should reduce the deficit that we have and most likely reduce the load shedding to the barest minimum”.

President Mahama also said: “If the West African gas pipe line comes on in April then Asogli can come back on and that will bring another 220 megawatts immediately and that will give us more than enough”, adding that: “...I wish to assure the people of Ghana that we are working very hard to reduce the load shedding”.

The President emphasized that: “I'm as uncomfortable with it as everybody else is and I'll do everything possible to make sure that we end the load shedding by the middle of the year”.