It is possible for dumsor to come back - ACEP

The Head of Policy at the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Dr. Ishmael Ackah says the energy situation in the country this year has improved considerably despite the few challenges facing the sector.

He was responding to claims by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the power crisis popularly called dumsor will be back in full swing should President Mahama win the 2016 presidential election. According to the NPP, Ghana could experience up to 700 megawatts of power shortage early 2017 resulting from factors ranging from a drop in gas supply to reduction in power imported.

Responding to the claims, Dr. Ishmael Ackah in an interview with Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm said the water level at Akosombo is considerably good but our gas generation is challenging.

He explained, Nigeria has failed to supply us with gas due to our indebtedness, and by next year a component of the FPSO will undergo routine maintenance works and should it be done outside Ghana, we may encounter some challenges with generation because production would be halted.

He said, we have a potential challenge at hand and already our demand and supply are not the same. The challenges he posited could be averted because the core challenge has to with financing.

‘’We can overcome these challenges. The major challenge for us has to do with financing. If we are able to pay Nigeria our debt so they resume the supply of gas to Ghana, and we even shutdown Ameri, we will not be faced with the challenges. It is possible for Ghana to experience ‘dumsor’ again but we can prevent that.''