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Blackouts will reduce soon -- says GRIDCo boss

By Myjoyonline.com
General News Blackouts will reduce soon -- says GRIDCo boss
OCT 22, 2014 LISTEN

Chief Executive of the Ghana Grid Company, William Amamu, has assured ongoing blackouts across the country will lessen before the week ends.

This, according to the head of the country's power transmitter, is the result of successful repair works on some damaged power generating plants by the Volta River Authority (VRA) and resumption of gas supply from Nigeria.

The announcement is expected to bring relief to several homes where erratic power supply has caused great discomfort after the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the power distributor, was forced to shed a record 500 MW of electricity after abrupt cuts in supply of gas from Nigeria in September.

This also caused GRIDCo to also shutdown gas powered thermal plants -- Asogli plant, Mines Reserve Plant, Finesse plant all in Tema and T3 in Aboadze in the Western Region -- resulting in the 500 MW deficit.

But this deficit is set to reduce to only 150 MW now that the plants are set come on stream, according to William Amamu.

"The two TAPCO units (T2 and T3) are on now and two gas turbines will now drive one steam turbine and produce more power. So for now the two gas turbines are back", he said.

"We are not out of the woods yet but at least things are much better than before", he said.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister, Kofi Buah, says work is on going to fix the country's energy challenges permanently. 

"These plants are going to come on stream but we don't stop there", he said.

He said his ministry work towards implementing new projects aimed at improving the country's power generation and distribution.

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