Ghana Gas attributes power outages to tie-in of pipeline system

The Government has attributed the recent intermittent power outages experienced by domestic and commercial power consumers to the total shutdown of the Ghana Gas pipeline system to ensure effective inter-connection with the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo).

The tie-in of the two companies’ systems is to ensure reverse flow of surplus gas at the Aboadze Thermal Power enclave to Tema Power enclave for power generation.

This is expected to increase the country’s natural gas capacity from 120 million standard cubic feet (SCF) of gas per day to 330 million SCF/per day.

The inter-connection would also take the burden on government for having to pay $400, 000 penalty daily to the contractors for delays.

It would also ensure sufficient supply of gas from the Cape Three Points Oilfields for power generation.

Consequently, Ghana would no longer suffer the intermittent supply of gas from Nigeria to power her power generators and, thus, subsequently reduce electricity tariffs in the near future.

Addressing a news conference in Accra on Monday, to update the public on the intermittent power outages, Dr Benjamin Asante, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas, said on Saturday, March 30, Ghana Gas shutdown its system for effective inter-connection of its pipeline system with WAPCo for the next 10 to 12 days.

He explained that the pipelines of the two companies had to be shutdown and depressurised, to enable them to take out all the flammable gas from the system to facilitate the inter-connection process.

Dr Asante added that other equipment and facilities such as the gas regulator, heaters, metering and piping devices were supposed to be modified in order to meet the intended purpose.

Mr William Owuraku Aidoo, a Deputy Minister of Energy in charge of Power, said government wanted to reduce to the barest minimum, the disruption of power supply to power consumers in the country.

While the tie-in was on-going, he said government made alternative sources of fuel to power the power generators.

The Deputy Minister gave the assurance that there was sufficient fuel to power the Asogli Power Plant and other independent power producers in the Tema power enclave and debunked the assertion that government did not have money to purchase fuel to power the power generators.

“We have taken all the necessary steps to reduce to the barest minimum, the disruption of power to the country, but unfortunately we have come to this.

“But having said that once we complete the tie-in it is going to inure to the huge benefit of the good people of Ghana,” the Deputy Minister assured.

Mr Aidoo, on behalf of government, apologised to Ghanaian power consumers for the recent power outages and assured that it was doing all things possible to bring the supply of electricity to normalcy.

He acknowledged the difficulties most Ghanaians were facing as a result of the power outages and asked for their patience and understanding as government found a lasting solution to the challenges.