Gas shortages could affect Ghana’s electricity supply – NAPO hints

The Minister for Energy, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has hinted at a possible hitch in Ghana’s electricity supply due to gas shortages along the West Africa gas pipeline.

He said the impact of the gas shortages is more intensive and may lead to longer periods of “lights out” than was experienced previously.

According to him, the era of liquid fuels has fewer constraints than what is currently being experienced with the usage of gas.

“So, as we speak, this is a major challenge for us that from the West we have gas that we cannot put in because West African Gas Pipeline Company is not allowing us, it's restricting us and that's why sometimes we find that there are challenges with power networks,” Dr Prempeh stressed.

Dr. Prempeh said Ghana faces a dire electricity challenge due to the complete shift towards a gas-based system. This he said has left the power infrastructure vulnerable, and “any interruption in the gas supply will lead to a shutdown of all power-generating systems, resulting in a complete blackout across the country.”

“So that is why if people see lights out when they go out now, it is more extensive than previously because previously the liquid fuels were in the various thermal plants scattered around. So it goes through the tubes that go around. So, when you have a major cut at one end, the devastation is horrendous and we don't have enough gas for our generation as we speak, we don't have enough gas,” he said in a press briefing on November 9, 2023.

SSD/OGB

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