Ghana loses 400 megawatts of power annually – Minister

Ghana loses 400 megawatts of power annually due to illegal power connection and improper cable installations, Mr Eric Opoku, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister has said.

Mr Opoku said about 73 percent of electricity generated nationally are supplied to individual households, stressing that the country could conserve more power if individuals use electricity judiciously.

The Regional Minister said this in a speech read on his half at a public forum on the “Save a Watt” campaign organized by the Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council and the Energy Commission, at Sunyani.

He expressed concern that the current intermittent power outages in parts of the country had decreased production in both formal and informal economic set-ups.

Mr Opoku appealed to the public to help conserve electricity by ensuring that they switch off all electrical appliances and gadgets whenever they leave home for work.

They should also take advantage of the nationwide refrigerator replacement exercise being undertaken by the Energy Commission and replace their old and second-hand refrigerators with new ones.

Mr Opoku explained that Brong-Ahafo had seen major improvements in power supply with the Bui Dam being on-stream, as well as the Ghana Energy Development Project.

Under these projects, he said 614 communities had been hooked onto the national electricity grid.

Mr Victor Owusu, Public Affairs Manager of the Energy Commission, said the country ought to add 100 megawatts of power annually, before it could meet the national demand which required huge sums of money for the construction of more power plants and thermals.

Consequently, he explained, the Save a Watt campaign was necessary to sensitize consumers on the need to conserve energy.

Professor Esi Awuah, Vice Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, who presided, it is paramount for citizens of developing countries to conserve and appealed to Ghanaians to use electricity wisely.