Ghanaians are likely to experience ‘intense’ load shedding as three of the independent power generators have allegedly planned to shut down their power plants over unsustainable debt owed them by the largest power distribution company – Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The independent power generators contribute more than 60 per cent of the power produced in the West African nation.
Already, the largest Independent Power Generator, Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited, has shut down its 560-megawatt combined-circled power plant over $259 million debt owed them by ECG.
Since the shutdown of Sunon Asogli Power Plant in October, Ghanaians have been experiencing power outages, especially from 6 p.m. through to midnight each day.
At times, when power goes off at 6 p.m., it returns by 11 p.m. or the following day.
This has been going on for more than a month even though there is no official statement from ECG.
On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, Chief Executive Officer of Independent Power Generators, Ghana warned that the power situation in the country could worsen as three independent power generators have also given indication of shutting down their power plants over unsustainable debt.
According to him, the three independent power producers (IPPs) are likely to shut down their plants by either Friday or Monday.
“We are up to date with our numbers, so we know what we are talking about. The government does not even know how to account for the power sector figures,” he said.
Independent checks by this portal indicate that the IPPs are not happy with the level of indebtedness to them by ECG.
Data obtained by this portal showed that key plants like Aksa which generates about 370 MW and Karpower Plant which produces 450 MW generated less than 100 megawatts each last night.
Other plants also generated less of their capacity.
Meanwhile, speaking on Accra-based Joy FM’s midday news on Tuesday, the former Deputy Minister for Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, dismissed claims that load shedding is being implemented.
According to him, although the government through the Ministry of Finance has been negotiating with the IPPs over the debt owed them, there is nothing like generation shortfall to warrant any load shedding.
In his view, all is well with the power sector and urged those predicting doom to desist from it.
“I don’t have any information that suggests that there is load shedding. So I am wondering where they are getting that information from.
“I am on a platform that posts daily supply forecast demand and I have not seen any information from the value chain that there is outage,” he told the hostess, Emefa Apau.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
