Ghana to plunge into deeper darkness

The load shedding schedule of five days power, twelve hours off currently ongoing nationwide is to be reviewed to further reduce strains on the Akosombo Dam.

Officials of the Volta River Authority and the Electricity Company of Ghana have been meeting to review the situation and are expected to announce a new load management programme soon.

Sources at the Volta River Authority tell Joy News, the blackout period of 12 hours per every five days of supply could extend to 24 hours while the number of days per supply could reduce to between 3-4 days.

The reason is due to the ever dwindling water levels in the Akosombo Dam.

Sources at the VRA and the ECG have told Joy News the Akosombo Dam has reached a critical level and risks total closure if the load management is not reviewed immediately.

The Director in Charge of Operations at the ECG, Andrew Tonto Baffuor said discussions among the stakeholders would have to be completed first and all necessary clearances secured before the announcement of the new tighter programme would be made but maintained that the situation is very critical.

Originally the review was to be made at the end of the month, however Mr. Baffuor says it cannot wait any longer.

He said presently the Lake has less than two feet of water for critical operations and the review will have to be immediate in order to forestall any serious problems at Akosombo.

“Hopefully within a very short time we should be able to come out…If by the end of the day we finish with the decision the public will be informed. If we have to come out tomorrow or Sunday or Monday, we will definitely come out but definitely not going to be too long.”

He said a lot of scenarios have been laid out on the new load management schedule and the meeting would decide which will be more appropriate.