Ghana is facing a potential power crisis following delays in the maintenance of the West African Gas Pipeline, which supplies gas to several of the country’s thermal power plants.
Speaking at the 92nd Annual Jalsa Salana, President John Dramani Mahama addressed the looming issue of electricity shortages and assured the public that his administration is working to prevent power outages.
Mahama explained that the scheduled maintenance of the pipeline, which was supposed to occur last October but was postponed, has left many of the nation’s power plants without a sufficient supply of gas.
This shortage could lead to a loss of nearly 2,000 megawatts of power, triggering possible blackouts across the country. To counteract this, President Mahama emphasized the urgent need to make provisions for fuel imports, such as light crude oil and heavy fuel oil, which are typically used as substitutes for natural gas in power generation.
However, Mahama pointed out that the importation process takes time, with delays of up to three weeks to place orders and an additional week and a half to treat the fuel for use in power plants.
Despite these challenges, Mahama assured Ghanaians that his government is actively collaborating with stakeholders in the energy sector to find innovative solutions and avoid power outages, commonly referred to as “dumsor”in Ghana.
Through collaborative efforts and creative solutions, Mahama expressed confidence that the government would maintain reliable power supply and avoid the disruptions that have affected the country in the past.
By: Shadrack Odame Agyare | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
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