Ghana Gas: We don’t know when gas supply to VRA will resume

The Ghana Gas Company says it does not know when it will restore gas supply to the Volta River Authority (VRA) to enable it power its plants.

The Company says its inability to supply gas to the VRA is due to the faulty machines of Tullow Oil, the company that produces the gas. Tullow Oil Ghana recently announced an unplanned shutdown of its FPSO at the Jubilee field, rendering the Ghana Gas Processing Plant at Atuabo unproductive.

The Communications Director of Ghana Gas Company, Alfred Ogbamey told Atinka FM on Friday “we don’t know when the machines will be fixed for us to restore gas supply to VRA. Those who provide gas have failed to produce, and we can’t do anything about it,” he lamented.

The VRA has attributed the worsening power crisis to unavailability of fuel to operate its thermal plants at Aboadze but energy watchers have suggested that VRA is unable to purchase crude oil due to lack of funds.

Tullow's shutdown of its FPSO has contributed to the intensified power crisis, increasing the power deficit from 400 to 600 megawatts.

Mr. Ogbamey explained that Tullow has not informed Ghana Gas when it will fix its faulty machines. “They told us that they would re-start their machines on the 10th of July, but they have so far failed to meet this deadline,” he added.

The Communications Director said Ghana Gas "is at the mercy of the Jubilee partners" and that there was nothing the company can do about it. “VRA also can’t do anything about it, everything depends on Tullow Oil Ghana, since we have a limited role to play here”.

Asked about an alternative solution, Mr. Ogbamey revealed, “Tullow has made us to understand that some machines have the capability of running on both gas and light crude and that they are in the process of converting those machines so they can use light crude oil”.

Mr. Ogbamey urged Ghanaians to be patient since Tullow is working to ensure the machines are fixed “to enable them supply natural gas for us to process and supply to VRA.”'