‘Dumsor dumsor’ likely to end next year – Energy Minister

While the load shedding bites hard on Ghanaian indiciduals and businesses, the sector minister, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah is optimistic it will be over soon.

The Ministry is undertaking various initiatives to forestall the recurring power crisis Ghanaians experience, he noted.

“On the generation front, following the commissioning of the Bui Hydroelectric Project in 2013, we have been working closely with the respective power generators to bring about the needed generation additions,” he said.

He also mentioned the TICO Expansion Project (110 MW) which is currently about 90% complete and is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2014.

One of the two units of the Kpone Thermal Power project (220MW) would be commissioned in December 2014; the full complement will begin commercial operations by the first quarter of 2015.

The project is about 80% complete as of September, 2014, the Minister told myjoyonline.com.

According to him, the Ministry, together with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) are in the process of bringing into the country, a Powership with 450MW capacity to be operational by the second quarter of 2015.

Other Independent Power Projects including Cen Power (350 MW), Jacobsen (360 MW), Amandi (240 MW) are at advanced stages for construction works to commence.

The Elembelle Member of Parliament says to ensure a robust transmission network for the growing power demand, GRIDCO is implementing the Substations Reliability Enhancement Project (SREP) to improve operational reliability, security and control among others.

He indicated that two years into his stewardship at the Ministry, lots of targets have been achieved to mitigate Ghana’s energy challenges. He mentioned the Sunyani – Mim 161kV line upgrade which was completed in February this year; the Kumasi 2nd Bulk Supply Point (BSP) was also completed.

However works on the Tumu-Han-Wa 161kV line is 80% complete, hoping it would be completed and commissioned by the end of 2014.

Touching on rural electrification, Mr. Buah said in line with the goal to achieve universal access to electricity by 2016,over 1,000 communities were connected to the national electricity grid in 2013 and, in 2014, as of October 1,134 communities were connected to the national electricity grid.

He added that the national electricity access rate has increased from 72% in 2013 to 76% as at September, 2014.

He is projecting that over 1,500 communities will be connected to the national grid in 2015 from various interventions, with an expected average access to electricity being 80%.

On the petroleum and gas sector, the Energy Minister said there has been 18 new oil discoveries since 2010 while the Local Content Bill has been passed by Parliament to ensure Ghanaian participation in the oil sector.