State of the Nation: Power a priority

Tackling the country’s power problems with innovative solutions is at the top of President Mahama’s agenda, according to the State of the Nation address he gave this morning.

For months the nation has been experiencing power shortages which have been affecting businesses, households and hospitals across the country.

But in his speech President Mahama said he was “adequately aware of the challenges and the extreme discomfort” that the current situation was causing and said that it was, in turn, causing him "sleepless nights".

He said he hoped that over 500MW of power will be introduced into the power grid this year from the Takoradi 3 Thermal Plant and the Bui Hydroelectric Dam as well as a small amount of energy from a solar park in Navrongo. This will cover the current 200MW deficit which is the reason for the current load shedding.

“Government will continue during the year, to support the utility companies to carry out distribution system improvement projects and increase electricity access to all parts of the country under the Energy for All programme to ensure universal access by 2016,” he said.

Other projects include a transmission line in the Upper West and another at Kpando, Tamale and Bolgatanga among others.

“Government's overall objective for the energy sector is to ensure reliable, stable and progressively cheap power for economic development in the country and the wider West African region,” he said.

He added that bringing the country’s own gas supply on stream would further supply affordable power and grow the economy.

Recently, the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCO) experienced damages to underwater pipes and caused Ghana to lose 250 MW of power, leading to frequent blackouts.