Mahama affirms pledge to solve “dumsor”

President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his promise to implement solutions that will address the protracted power shortage in the country.

The erratic power supply has caused challenges to both domestic and industrial users for the past three years.

The latest in a streak of efforts towards addressing the problem is the importation of a power barge from Turkey, to supplant production with 225 Megawatts.

Speaking to some members of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, President Mahama expressed optimism that the barge will arrive on schedule, adding that Government is committed to ending the crisis.

According to him, other domestic power generation units are being tested to be integrated into the national grid in the next few weeks.

“For our plants, the VRA plant, 250 Megawatts, which is the Kpong Thermal Plant, they have started testing it and once that is ready, another 220 Megawatts will be available to us. The Chinese Asogli Plant is also doing their phase 2 and they have assured me that by December 108 Megawatts will be available. So, for the next few months, we are sure that we will have enough generation to meet the demands for power,” Mr Mahama said.

The increase in demand for electricity, reduction in the quantity of water at the Akosombo Dam, irregular gas supply from the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company in Nigeria, irregular maintenance programmes and late procurement of crude oil to power generation plants, have conspired to plunge the country in the current power crisis.