$90M Emergency Funding Needed to Prevent Ghana’s Looming Power Crisis – GRIDCo Report
Fuel Shortages and Gas Supply Disruptions Threaten to Plunge Nation Into Darkness Without Immediate Action
- GRIDCo requires $90 million to purchase liquid fuel for thermal plants
- A WAPCO pipeline maintenance exercise has caused a temporary halt in natural gas supplies
- Failure to act could lead to widespread power outages, disrupting businesses, essential services, and public life
The Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) has sounded an urgent alarm, revealing that nearly $90 million is required to stave off a potential power crisis due to insufficient fuel for thermal plants.
The report highlights that liquid fuel, such as light crude oil, must be procured immediately to operate thermal plants in Tema and sustain the country’s electricity supply amid surging demand.
This looming crisis arises from a generation capacity shortfall caused by a pigging exercise by the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCO), which temporarily disrupted the natural gas supply.
To mitigate the crisis, GRIDCo has proposed critical measures:
- Rescheduling Maintenance: Adjusting generator shutdown schedules to avoid overlaps with WAPCO’s activities.
- Securing Alternative Fuels: Procuring light crude oil or equivalent fuels to replace natural gas.
- Load Management: Considering load-shedding only as a last resort to stabilize the grid.
Additionally, maintenance of the Nigeria-to-Ghana gas pipeline by WAPCO, initially slated for October 2024, has been postponed to January 2025, compounding the urgency.
GRIDCo’s report warns that failure to act could lead to prolonged power outages, severely impacting economic activities and essential services. Stakeholders are urging swift government intervention to secure funding and implement the outlined measures to avert “dumsor.”
