Load shedding to intensify due to 500MW shortfall

A generation shortfall of more than 500MW is set to plunge the country into further darkness when a new load shedding timetable is released by GRIDCo.

Manager of System Control Centre at GRIDCo, Frank Otchere, says the new timetable "will probably tighten  the schedule a little more than the current one".

He was however not certain about the number of hours for power outages in the new schedule.

Chief Executive Officer of the power producer Volta River Authority (VRA), Mr Kirk Koffi, says low water levels at the Akosombo has reduced the production capacity of the dam.

He explained that the dam was running on four turbines, which meant that 400MW has been lost.

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

However, he said it was expected to come on stream in the next two weeks.

"The Cenite Thermal Plant in Tema which also generates 100MW is down, while TICO, which also generates 100 MW, is down but is currently on stream," he adds.

On gas supply from Nigeria, he said gas in flow was between 20 million and 60 million standard cubic feet (scf), instead of about 120 million scf needed.

He said the VRA's thermal plants had been running on gas from Atuabo since November last year and was currently feeding the plants with about 58 million scf of gas.

While the government made efforts to bring on board emergency generation plants, Mr Koffi said, the VRA would also commission a 220MW plant at Kpone by March 2015.

He urged Ghanaians to cultivate the habit of saving energy, since there was a lot of power wastage in the system.