Govt halts further processing of IPPs

Government has directed the Ministry of Power to halt the processing of application for Independent Power Plants in the country.

The move is aimed at assessing the situation to determine the country's future power demand.

President John Mahama disclosed this in an address read on his behalf at the official launch of the Ghana Exim Bank.

“I've had the unpleasant duty of having to ask the Ministry of Power to halt the processing of further applications for independent power plants in the country until a very elaborate study can be done and that is almost complete,” he stated.

At the peak of Ghana's power crisis, the country granted permission to some Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to work on increasing the country's generation capacity.

The pockets of opposition of possible hikes in utility prices with the relative high cost of production notwithstanding, the IPPs have contributed to the increase in the country's power generation.

The President also touted what he referred to as the country's “emergency power resolution programme which has improved the supply of power significantly.”

“Infact the coming on board of the IPPs has brought forward the capacity we need or plants too which we had expected to off take the projected Sankofa gas,” he added.

Meanwhile the Power Ministry is almost done with its study on the country's future energy needs which is expected to inform further decisions in the granting of licenses to subsequent IPPs.

The power crisis which spanned for about four years, affected most sectors of the economy with some huge layoffs in certain instances.

Businesses say they are still recovering from the effects of the reeling power crisis as their balance books are yet to reflect in the huge losses made during the period.

–
By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana