Gas pipeline still drying - WAPCo

The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) has said that the pipeline is still in the process of being dried before the much-awaited gas to Benin, Togo and Ghana is introduced into the pipeline.

Until it attains the required level of dryness, gas cannot be introduced into the pipeline, Harriet Wereko-Brobby, General Manager, Corporate Affairs at WAPCo, told the B&FT.

She, however, fell short of giving a deadline for the resumption of gas supply, saying the fact that they did not give a deadline did not mean they are not working diligently toward completion of the work.

The company has missed a number of deadlines since the pipeline carrying gas from Nigeria was damaged in Togolese waters on August 28, 2012.

While beneficiary countries have suffered power outages as a result of the delay, WAPCo itself has said that it loses a lot of money on a daily basis.

Although the ongoing Bui hydropower project has added 133 megawatts to the national grid, the resumption of gas supply by WAPCo is still significant to stabilise power supply in the country as gas is needed to power thermal plants.

Indeed, government had assured that the coming on stream of 132 megawatts from the Takoradi 3 Power Plant and the initial 133 megawatts from the Bui Hydro project should take care of the 200 megawatts that was taken off Sunon Asogli as a result of the gas problem.

This has, however, not happened, as the country continues to experience scheduled power outages every now and then.